A theory-based video intervention to enhance communication and engagement in online health communities: two experiments

ABSTRACT

Background

Online communities and social networking sites have great potential for supporting health behavior change. However, interventions vary greatly in participants’ engagement rates and, consequently, their effectiveness. Theory-based interventions in real-world contexts are needed to further increase engagement and effectiveness.

Methods

We experimentally tested whether a video intervention teaching Self-Determination-Theory-based communication strategies increases need-supportive communication strategy use over one week (Study 1, N = 76) and perceived need support, engagement, and goal attainment in a behavior change intervention supported by a forum-based online community (Study 2, N = 537). In Study 2, participants chose a goal (increasing either fruit or vegetable consumption or increasing moderate or vigorous physical activity) and joined an online community for 2 weeks. Data from both experiments were analyzed with mixed models and follow-up tests.

Results

In Study 1, participants in the intervention but not in the control group showed an increase in the number of need-supportive communication strategies used both immediately and one week after the intervention (condition × time interaction, partial η² = 0.31). In Study 2, participants who watched the intervention video had a higher number of postings and reported a higher subjective forum use frequency (but not a higher number of logins) compared to participants who watched the control video. However, the effect on the subjective forum visit frequency was not robust. There were no intervention effects on perceived need support, goal attainment, or secondary outcomes. The results might be explained by low application of need-supportive communication strategies.

Conclusion

A brief video intervention may be a suitable, low-cost intervention to promote need-supportive communication strategy use, benefitting both engagement and behavior change. Future studies should incorporate additional means to further improve communication strategy uptake and engagement in online communities.

KEYWORDS:

• Social networking sites
• online communities
• behavior change interventions
• need-support
• self-determination theory

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Julia Graßhoff, Kilian Timo Grebe, Miriam Leandra Pfleiderer, Chiara Reis, Julia Strauch, and Christopher Held for support in the development and initial validation of the videos and Nina Haberland, Anika Bales, and Insa Borm for the coding of need-supportive communication strategy use.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in the Open Science Framework at https://osf.io/xsb2e/.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The publication of this article was funded by the University of Mannheim.