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CompletedNCT01796990Updated Apr 29, 2015

Developing a Physically More Active Lifestyle Based on One's Own Values - RCT Among Sedentary Adults

An interventional study of ACT and REF in Behavior, sponsored by Likes - Foundation for Sport and Health Sciences. Completed at 1 site in Finland. Open to participants aged 30 Years to 50 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2015-04-29.

Sponsored by Likes - Foundation for Sport and Health Sciences · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
136
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
30 Years to 50 Years
Sex
All
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Study summary

The main objective of the study is to provide data of the effectiveness and feasibility of the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in enhancing the physically active lifestyle among sedentary adults. The psychological and motivational factors related to physical activity and behavior change will also be evaluated.

Read the detailed description

In more detailed the study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the acceptance- and commitment-based behavioural intervention concerning physical activity level and self-efficacy, as well as regarding planning and the acceptance of psychological and physical discomfort related to physical activity after 3 and 6 months compared to providing only individual written feedback on their physical activity. A further aim was to explore stability and maintenance of changes in physical activity at the 6 months follow-up. It was hypothesised that acceptance- and commitment-based behavioural intervention is more effective than feedback only in improving physical activity and related beliefs and cognitions.

02

Conditions studied

  • Behavior

Keywords

  • physical activity
  • psychological well-being
  • acceptance and commitment therapy
  • adults
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In context

Lead sponsor

This is the only study on the registry with Likes - Foundation for Sport and Health Sciences as lead sponsor.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
30 Years to 50 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • age 30-50 years, working status, and don´t meet the current physical activity recommendations.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

-

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Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
136 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    REF group

    The participants will get written feedback about their physical activity level after the baseline, and after 3, 6, 9 and 15 months of baseline compared to the current physical activity recommendations. Feedback will be created to illustrate participants´ activity level during the measurement week combining also the information from the diary. Feedback will be posted home and don´t include face to face interaction. As an incentive for participation, participants will also have opportunity to attend a body composition analyze and get short interpretation (15 min) of their own results in the research center.

    Behavioral: REF

  • Other
    ACT group

    The ACT group gets the same procedure as the REF group. In addition, they will participate the ACT based program. The intervention program consists of six group sessions, about 90 minutes per session during the 9 weeks period of time. All the participants get also pedometers for monitoring their physical activity during the intervention. The program aims to enhance physically active lifestyle and well-being through important life values and build committed action based on the chosen important things. The importance is also placed to a mindful awareness and flexibility to everyday actions related to physical activity. The program don´t include psycho-educational elements or counseling of the health or the health benefits of physical activity.

    Behavioral: ACT · Behavioral: REF

Interventions

  • BehavioralACT

    The intervention program consists of six group sessions, about 90 minutes per session during the 9 weeks period of time. The group size is about 8-10 members per one group. All the participants get also pedometers for monitoring their physical activity during the intervention. The program aims to enhance physically active lifestyle and well-being through important life values and build committed action based on the chosen important things. The importance is also placed to a mindful awareness and flexibility to everyday actions related to physical activity. The program don´t include psycho-educational elements or counseling of the health or the health benefits of physical activity.

  • BehavioralREF

    The participants will get written feedback about their physical activity level after the baseline, and after 3, 6, 9 and 15 months of baseline compared to the current physical activity recommendations. Feedback will be created to illustrate participants´ activity level during the measurement week combining also the information from the diary. Feedback will be posted home and don´t include face to face interaction. As an incentive for participation, participants will also have opportunity to attend a body composition analyze and get short interpretation (15 min) of their own results in the research center.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Physical activity

    Physical activity is measured objectively by accelerometer (Actigraph GT1M, GT3X, Actigraph, Pensacola, Florida) the last seven days.

    Time frame: baseline and change after 3, 6, 9 and 15 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. The Acceptance and Action Questionnaire, AAQ-2

    Psychological wellbeing is measured using the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-2), which is a 10-item Likert-type questionnaire that assesses people's ability to take a non-elaborative, non-judgmental approach to their internal events, so that they can focus on the present moment and act in a way that is congruent with their values and goals, rather than with their internal events (e.g., fears, urges, prejudices).

    Time frame: baseline and change after 3, 6, 9 and 15 months

  2. the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS)

    The KIMS is a 39-item self-report inventory used to assess mindfulness skills. The questionnaire contains four different specific subscales or skills: 1) observing, 2) describing, 3) acting with awareness, and 4) accepting without judgment. Participants rated each item on a 5-point Likert type scale ranging from 1 (never or very rarely true) to 5 (almost always or always true). Items reflects either direct descriptions of the mindfulness skills or the absence of that skill, and are reverse scored.

    Time frame: baseline and change after 3, 6, 9 and 15 months

  3. the Beck Depression Inventory, BDI-II

    Depressive symptoms are measured with the Beck Depression Inventory, BDI-II.

    Time frame: baseline and change after 3, 6, 9 and 15 months

  4. Physical activity

    Physical activity is assessed with a questionnaire (self-reported) during the last seven days.

    Time frame: baseline and change after 3, 6, 9 and 15 months

07

Study locations

1 site
  • LIKES Foundation for Sport and Health Sciences
    Jyväskylä, 40720, Finland
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Kangasniemi AM, Lappalainen R, Kankaanpaa A, Tolvanen A, Tammelin T. Towards a physically more active lifestyle based on one's own values: the results of a randomized controlled trial among physically inactive adults. BMC Public Health. 2015 Mar 18;15:260. doi: 10.1186/s12889-015-1604-x. PubMed 25848812 ↗
  • Kangasniemi AM, Lappalainen R, Kankaanpaa A, Kulmala J, Hakonen H, Tammelin T. Towards a physically more active lifestyle based on one's own values: study design of a randomized controlled trial for physically inactive adults. BMC Public Health. 2013 Jul 19;13:671. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-671. PubMed 23866812 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Apr 29, 2015, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01796990
Lead sponsor
Likes - Foundation for Sport and Health Sciences
Collaborators
University of Jyvaskyla
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Feb 22, 2013
Start date
Aug 2011
Primary completion
Dec 2013
Completion
Dec 2013
Last update
Apr 29, 2015

Study contacts

Anu Kangasniemi, M.Sc.
principal investigator · Likes - Foundation for Sport and Health Sciences
Tuija Tammelin, PhD
study director · Likes - Foundation for Sport and Health Sciences

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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