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Motivating Activity Through Text Communications - Helping Adults Increase Movement
Sponsor: University of Michigan
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the effect of different types of text messages on physical activity levels of middle-aged and older adults and to determine whether these messages are effective in adults age 40 and older who are engaging in less than 90 minutes per week of moderate or higher intensity physical activity. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Which types of motivational messages show the greatest effects on changes in daily step counts in a 3-month precision text messaging intervention? * What are the effects of personalized text messages on automatic affective evaluations, habit strength (experienced automaticity), exercise identity, working memory capacity, and processing speed? Participants will: * Wear a Fitbit activity tracker continuously for 3 months and are encouraged to continue wearing it through 6 months. * Wear an activPAL activity monitor on their thigh for 7-day assessment periods at the beginning of the study, at 3 months, and at 6 months. * Complete 3 cognitive assessments ("brain games") per day on their smartphone during the 7-day assessment periods at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. * Be asked to set goals to increase their daily steps over the first 3 months of the study. * Receive up to 4 motivational text messages per day for 3 months to encourage physical activity. * Keep study-related apps (Fitbit app, AIM app, MetricWire app) open in the background on their smartphone. * Complete questionnaires at the beginning of the study, at 3 months, and at 6 months
Official title: Motivating Activity Through Text - Comparing Human and AI Messages (MATCH AIM) Trial
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
40 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
150
Start Date
2026-06-01
Completion Date
2027-08-02
Last Updated
2026-05-22
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Interventions
Text Messaging Intervention
Participants will receive up to 4 motivational text messages per day during a self-selected 12-hour window. These messages focus on two content areas: 1) Move more, and 2) sit less. Delivery of these messages occurs in two phases: 1. Random AIM (month 1): Messages are sent at random times within the participant's window to collect baseline data on their behavioral responses. 2. Precision AIM (months 2 and 3): Messages are sent at optimized times based on person-specific models that are created from the individual's previous responses to text messages from month 1.
Locations (1)
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States