Intervention Mapping for Refining a Sport-Based Public Health Intervention in Rural Schools

Sport-based youth development programs, delivered through campus–community partnerships, can create impactful experiences for college students, meet university objectives, and improve the health of children in under-resourced rural communities. This study aimed to pilot test intervention mapping (IM), a systematic approach to intervention development and implementation, to refine the Hoosier Sport intervention, which is a local public health initiative that utilizes the Obesity-Related Behavioral Intervention Trials (ORBITs) model to improve physical activity in middle school children. The IM process, which included a diverse IM planning and advisory group of university representatives and local schools, was guided by self-determination theory (SDT) and social cognitive theory (SCT) and followed four steps: Logic Model of the Problem, Logic Model of Change, Program Design, and Program Production. Using SDT and SCT, we identified our personal determinants as autonomy, competence, and relatedness, while our environmental determinants were role-modeling and sports equipment access. We then created change methods and practical applications for refining and implementing our intervention and gathered pilot test data to assess the feasibility of the intervention. The IM process provided a more robust and evidence-based approach to intervention design and production, while involving stakeholders to foster meaningful collaboration and increase program success. By using IM in program development, public health interventions that promote youth development through sport will likely be more easily scaled up.