Physical Activity Counseling Content and Competency: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Physical activity (PA) counseling is becoming commonplace in primary care settings, although there is a high degree of variation in the quality and quantity of this intervention. The purpose of this review was to examine the theory on which the intervention is based and the level of treatment fidelity applied at all stages of the intervention. Methods: A systematic review was carried out for interventions that reported an element of PA counseling. Results were mapped according to a treatment fidelity framework of intervention design, training, delivery, receipt, and enactment. Results: Most studies were underpinned by the transtheoretical model. Few studies described the frequency or duration of PA counseling training or competence level of the interventionist. The most common outcome measures were behavioral and physiological, with few studies including a cognitive outcome measure. Conclusions: Most research focuses on outcome and significance rather than intervention processes, with limited consideration of treatment fidelity. The design, training, delivery, and receipt of PA counseling should be reported more thoroughly.

Limites e potencialidades da educação dos trabalhadores de saúde da família para promoção da atividade física: uma pesquisa participativa

“…e participants' conscience about practice and promotion of PA was similar to those found in most of the researches that consider PA counseling in basic healthcare 21 , limited to the curative, preventive and aesthetic aspect. Construction of autonomy for practicing and promoting PA encompasses to construct with the subjects possibilities of re-appropriation, starting from their gestures 22 .…”

“…Although these aspects have emerged in a context with speci c characteristics of management of services and health education, we believe that these limits and potentialities are common to several other urban regions of Brazil, given the predominance of the old model of health education and work organization 5 . is is, to our knowledge, the rst study developed to investigate the inter-professional PA education process in basic healthcare, contributing to decrease the shortage of studies about inter-professional education in scientific literature 7,21 . It will be discussed hereinafter how researchers and administrators can use these ndings to improve PA education in order to consolidate PA promotion in primary healthcare.…”

Group motivational interviewing in the Small Changes weight management project: a quasi-experimental trial

“…Clients' perceptions of MI have previously been measured [39] using the: Client evaluation of MI scale which gives an indication of how the therapy was received by the client; this could helpfully be adapted for group MI research. Future work should ensure TF using a valid framework as has been previously suggested [36] this would ensure internal validity and replicability.…”

“…Often researchers describe an approach as, for examples: Cognitive behavioral therapy or MI, but then do not provide data showing how the specific intended approach was adhered to. This failing in behavioral research needs attending to in future studies [36]. And when TF is measured, key recommendations in relation to good practice and consistency should be observed [37,38].…”

“…While MI has been found to be effective across a range of clinical settings, high quality and clearly reported content, frequency and duration in group settings is still scarce [36]. …”