University of Illinois at Chicago
The proposed study is a parallel-group randomized controlled trial (RCT) designed to establish the behavioral mechanism underlying a 16-week physical activity (PA) behavioral intervention through its effects on the Capability-Opportunity-Motivation-Behavior (COM-B) constructs. The success of this study will provide robust evidence for supporting its refinement via refined COM-B constructs and Behavior Change Techniques to facilitate or maximize the intervention effects on PA levels, which will be examined in the subsequent clinical trial. Such an approach will involve an RCT that examines the effects of a 16-week remotely delivered, Internet-based PA behavioral intervention via video behavioral coaching and newsletter compared with a waitlist control (WLC) condition for yielding improvements in the COM-B constructs among persons newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (PNDwMS, disease duration ≤ 2 years). The investigators hypothesize that participants in the PA behavioral intervention condition will demonstrate greater improvements in the COM-B constructs than those in the WLC condition. The investigators plan to recruit 50 PNDwMS, with a distribution of 25 participants in the PA behavioral intervention and 25 participants in the WLC condition. The primary outcomes are the self-report COM-B constructs (listed in the Outcomes section), which will be remotely assessed at baseline and post-intervention through an online battery of questionnaires via REDCap. Specific Aim 1: to establish mechanisms for the behavior change intervention using a 2-arm pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the intervention compared with the waitlist control (WLC) among PNDwMS. The investigators hypothesize that the 16-week COM-B-based behavioral intervention delivered by one-on-one behavior coaching and newsletters will result in larger changes in COM-B constructs (i.e., knowledge, outcome expectations, goal, intention, behavioral regulation, self-efficacy, fatigue, social support, and social and environmental barriers) than in the WLC group. Specific Aim 2: to examine change in self-reported physical activity levels in PNDwMS who received the COM-B-based intervention compared with those who are in the waitlist control condition. The investigators hypothesize that the 16-week COM-B-based behavioral intervention will result in larger changes in self-reported physical activity outcomes than in the WLC group.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a prevalent neurological disease of the central nervous system that is the leading cause of neurological disability among young adults in the United States. This disease results in the progressive loss of walking, substantial worsening of cognition, symptoms of fatigue, as well as compromised quality of life (QoL). There is evidence that physical activity is beneficially associated with walking mobility, cognitive function, symptoms of fatigue, depression, anxiety, and pain in persons with MS. Nonetheless, this population is strikingly sedentary and physically inacti…
Inclusion Criteria: * aged 18 years or older * self-reported diagnosis of MS by a neurologist within the past 2 years * relapse-free for the past 30 days * ability to speak and read English as the primary language * internet and e-mail access * willingness to complete study protocol * ambulatory without an assistive device (PDDS \< 3) * insufficiently active (Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ) \< 14) * visual ability and literacy to read newsletter with font size 14 points * on a stable disease-modifying therapy for 6 months Exclusion Criteria: * pregnant * have an elevated r…
Participants will receive a remote-delivered physical activity program for 16 weeks that includes access to electronic newsletters and regular chats over Zoom with a behavioral coach: The newsletters provide behavioral strategies such as information on the benefits of physical activity, goal setting and monitoring, for increasing and maintaining physical activity levels. Throughout the 16-week period, the investigators will ask participants to wear a Fitbit and record step count into a logbook daily for tracking physical activity. The newsletter will be emailed to participants weekly throughout the program. The newsletters include knowledge, skills, and resources related to physical activity in the early stages of MS. The program also involves 7 1-on-1 coaching chats with a coach to guide participants through the program and navigate challenges. These chats are conducted over Zoom and generally last about 15 - 30 minutes each. These sessions will not be recorded.