Personalized Coaching via Texting for Behavior Change to Understand a Healthy Lifestyle Intervention in a Naturalistic Setting: Mixed Methods Study

Abstract

Background Digital health interventions, such as personalized SMS coaching, are considered affordable and scalable methods to support healthy lifestyle changes. SMS, or texting, is a readily available service to most people in Sweden, and personalized SMS coaching has shown great promise in supporting behavior changes. Objective This study aims to explore the effectiveness of highly personalized SMS coaching for behavior change according to the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation–Behavior (COM-B) model on a sample of physically inactive adults in a nonprofit fitness organization in Sweden. Methods The study used a mixed methods design in which clients acted as their own controls. The participants were clients (n=28) and fitness consultants (n=12). Three types of data were collected: (1) quantitative data at baseline and after the SMS intervention and the waitlist from the clients, (2) qualitative data from semistructured interviews with the fitness consultants, and (3) pseudonymized texting conversations between the fitness consultants and clients. Results Overall, the results showed that personalized SMS coaching was effective in supporting the clients’ behavior changes. The quantitative analysis showed how the clients’ capabilities (Cohen d=0.50), opportunities (Cohen d=0.43), and relationship with the fitness consultants (Cohen d=0.51) improved during the SMS intervention in comparison with baseline. Furthermore, the qualitative analysis revealed how personalized texts added value to existing work methods (eg, increasing continuity and flexibility) and how the relationship between the clients and fitness consultants changed during the intervention, which helped motivate the clients. Conclusions Personalized SMS coaching is an effective method for supporting healthy behavior changes. The human connection that emerged in this study needs to be further explored to fully understand the effectiveness of a digital health intervention.