A Brief Value-based Randomized Intervention to Promote Physical Activity in Patients Attending Cardiac Rehabilitation

BackgroundAffective associations have been shown to predict physical activity, but interventions designed to manipulate affective associations are limited.PurposeTo increase physical activity through manipulation of affective associations toward physical activity using the values component from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in cardiac rehabilitation patients.MethodsCardiac rehabilitation patients (N = 58) from two cardiac rehabilitation sites were randomly assigned to an intervention group or control group receiving standard Health Education. Three weeks after participants ended cardiac rehabilitation, follow-up data were collected.ResultsPositive affective associations were not a significant predictor of physical activity intentions and showed no evidence of mediation of physical activity intention and physical activity. Intentions were not a significant mediator between the intervention and physical activity.DiscussionThe results indicate that the intervention did not change positive affective associations or increase physical activity behavior. Future research should consider including additional aspects of ACT in the intervention with a longer intervention period.Translation to Health Education Practice: ACT is a low-cost way to promote physical activity shown to be effective in other populations. This study informs future research to design an effective framework for ACT implementation in cardiac rehabilitation centers.