A Video Chat Intervention for Enhancing Self-efficacy for Lifestyle Physical Activity

Eligible participants will complete three brief (10‐minute) video chats to promote self‐efficacy during the first three weeks of engaging in lifestyle physical activity. Randomization will place participants into one of two groups: (1) Social Cognitive Theory‐guided video chat or (2) time‐matched video chat comparison group. Video chats will be delivered via the Google Duo smartphone app. Baseline and follow‐up assessments will consist of psycho‐social questionnaires assessing constructs of the Social Cognitive Theory, affect, stress, and work‐life balance. Physiological measures including heart rate will be assessed during a baseline treadmill assessment (to be completed in lab). All participants, regardless of group, will be asked to wear an activity tracker for the entirety of the study for assessing lifestyle physical activity. The comparison group will be asked to complete all baseline and follow‐up assessments but will not receive information relative to lifestyle physical activity. The baseline assessments will take place with an academic research laboratory and weeks 2‐7 will take place off outside of the lab.