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SAGE Publications, Dose-Response, 1(14), p. 155932581663751, 2016

DOI: 10.1177/1559325816637515

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Intervention Engagement Moderates the Dose-Response Relationships in a Dietary Intervention

Journal article published in 2016 by Sonia Lippke, Jana M. Corbet, Daniela Lange, Linda Parschau, Ralf Schwarzer ORCID
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Abstract

Behavioral interventions could lead to changes in behavior through changes in a mediator. This dose–response relationship might only hold true for those participants who are actively engaged in interventions. This Internet study investigated the role of engagement in a planning intervention to promote fruit and vegetable consumption in addition to testing the intervention effect on planning and behavior. A sample of 701 adults (mean = 38.71 years, 81% women) were randomly assigned either to a planning intervention (experimental group) or to one of 2 control conditions (untreated waiting list control group or placebo active control group). Moderated mediation analyses were carried out. Significant changes over time and time × group effects revealed the effectiveness of the intervention. The effect of the intervention (time 1) on changes in behavior (time 3; 1 month after the personal deadline study participants set for themselves to start implementing their plans) was mediated by changes in planning (time 2; 1 week the personal deadline). Effects of planning on behavior were documented only at a moderate level of intervention engagement. This indicates an inverse U-shaped dose–response effect. Thus, examining participants’ intervention engagement allows for a more careful evaluation of why some interventions work and others do not.