Physical activity promotion based on positive psychology: development and piloting of a novel intervention approach

Background: Regular physical activity (PA) is associated with positive health outcomes; however, rates of regular PA are low. Positive psychology interventions are efficacious in other health contexts and may be useful for promoting regular PA. Purpose: Phased development and pilot/feasibility testing of a positive psychology intervention to promote PA using the ORBIT model for behavioral treatment development. Methods: Positive psychology and PA promotion content was translated (phase 1a) and refined (phase 1b) into two 6-week, group-based treatments: Positive psychology for PA (PPPA), and a standard PA promotion comparison condition (SPA). A feasibility test (phase 2a) for PPPA only (n = 13) and piloting (phase 2b) of PPPA (n = 30) and SPA (n = 11) were conducted at local YMCAs. Results: In phase 2a, participants attended 59% of treatment sessions, completed 92%-100% of assessments at mid-treatment, post-treatment, and one-month post-treatment, and 83.3% had clinically meaningful increases in PA. Following refinement, phase 2b PPPA participants attended an average of 73% of the treatment sessions, 90% completed assessments at mid-treatment, post-treatment, and 1-month post-treatment, 73% at 6-month post-treatment, and 81% had clinically meaningful increases in PA. SPA participants attended 75% of sessions, completed 58%-82% of assessments across timepoints, and 66.7% had clinically meaningful increases in PA. Across timepoints, PPPA participants reported positive changes in PA enjoyment (d_ppc= 0.622-0.782), and positive affect (d_ppc= 0.162-0.407) relative to SPA, and recommended the study to others to help increase PA (95.4%) and happiness (88.6%). Conclusions: This study supports the feasibility and acceptability of a positive-psychology-based, PA promotion intervention for increasing PA in low-active adults.