Theory content of digital interventions for reducing alcohol consumption: a systematic review

Background: The use of theory in design and evaluation of interventions is likely to increase effectiveness and improve the evidence base from which future interventions are developed, though few interventions report this. Aim: To assess the extent to which digital interventions to reduce hazardous...

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Main Authors: Claire Garnett, Eileen Kaner, Matthew Hickman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2015-10-01
Series:Frontiers in Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/conf.FPUBH.2016.01.00062/full
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author Claire Garnett
Eileen Kaner
Matthew Hickman
author_facet Claire Garnett
Eileen Kaner
Matthew Hickman
author_sort Claire Garnett
collection DOAJ
description Background: The use of theory in design and evaluation of interventions is likely to increase effectiveness and improve the evidence base from which future interventions are developed, though few interventions report this. Aim: To assess the extent to which digital interventions to reduce hazardous or harmful alcohol consumption have used theory in their design and evaluation. Method: Use of theory within the digital interventions evaluated in randomised controlled trials was investigated using an amended Theory Coding Scheme developed by Michie and Prestwich (2010). Composite scores were calculated for six different areas of theory use. Frequency counts and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Results: Of 53 interventions reported in 55 trials, a theory or model was mentioned in 27 (51%), theory or theoretical predictors were used to select or develop intervention techniques in only 21 (40%), and targeted constructs were mentioned as a predictor of behaviour in 20 (36%). The two most commonly mentioned theories or models were the Transtheoretical model (8/27) and Social Norms theory (8/27). No studies used the results of the intervention to refine theory and only one study used theory to select recipients or tailor the intervention. Conclusions: There is very limited use of theory in the development or evaluation of current digital interventions to reduce hazardous or harmful alcohol consumption and its reporting is often unclear when it is present. Almost half of all interventions made no reference to any theories or models of behaviour and only a little over a third used them to develop the intervention.
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spelling doaj.art-2dce3acee100427293698bd120a4cbe22022-12-22T01:58:19ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652015-10-01410.3389/conf.FPUBH.2016.01.00062174475Theory content of digital interventions for reducing alcohol consumption: a systematic reviewClaire Garnett0Eileen Kaner1Matthew Hickman2University College LondonNewcastle UniversityUniversity of BristolBackground: The use of theory in design and evaluation of interventions is likely to increase effectiveness and improve the evidence base from which future interventions are developed, though few interventions report this. Aim: To assess the extent to which digital interventions to reduce hazardous or harmful alcohol consumption have used theory in their design and evaluation. Method: Use of theory within the digital interventions evaluated in randomised controlled trials was investigated using an amended Theory Coding Scheme developed by Michie and Prestwich (2010). Composite scores were calculated for six different areas of theory use. Frequency counts and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Results: Of 53 interventions reported in 55 trials, a theory or model was mentioned in 27 (51%), theory or theoretical predictors were used to select or develop intervention techniques in only 21 (40%), and targeted constructs were mentioned as a predictor of behaviour in 20 (36%). The two most commonly mentioned theories or models were the Transtheoretical model (8/27) and Social Norms theory (8/27). No studies used the results of the intervention to refine theory and only one study used theory to select recipients or tailor the intervention. Conclusions: There is very limited use of theory in the development or evaluation of current digital interventions to reduce hazardous or harmful alcohol consumption and its reporting is often unclear when it is present. Almost half of all interventions made no reference to any theories or models of behaviour and only a little over a third used them to develop the intervention.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/conf.FPUBH.2016.01.00062/fullalcoholTheoryinterventionDigitalAlcohol consumption
spellingShingle Claire Garnett
Eileen Kaner
Matthew Hickman
Theory content of digital interventions for reducing alcohol consumption: a systematic review
Frontiers in Public Health
alcohol
Theory
intervention
Digital
Alcohol consumption
title Theory content of digital interventions for reducing alcohol consumption: a systematic review
title_full Theory content of digital interventions for reducing alcohol consumption: a systematic review
title_fullStr Theory content of digital interventions for reducing alcohol consumption: a systematic review
title_full_unstemmed Theory content of digital interventions for reducing alcohol consumption: a systematic review
title_short Theory content of digital interventions for reducing alcohol consumption: a systematic review
title_sort theory content of digital interventions for reducing alcohol consumption a systematic review
topic alcohol
Theory
intervention
Digital
Alcohol consumption
url http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/conf.FPUBH.2016.01.00062/full
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