Technology-Based Contingency Management for Walking to Prevent Prolonged Periods of Sitting in the Workplace

Abstract

Sedentary behavior is an emerging public health issue. The workplace is one variable contributing to the rising amount of sedentary time, where a growing number of individuals are employed in positions with primarily sedentary job responsibilities (e.g., computer-oriented work, desk-oriented work). Frequent, brief bouts of walking is one behavior recommended by health experts to reduce the health risks correlated with physical inactivity and prolonged periods of sedentary time. The purpose of the current study was to extend the literature by evaluating a technology-based contingency management intervention that reinforced frequent, brief bouts of walking to decrease prolonged periods of sitting. Specifically, this study had three goals. First, this study sought to extend the limited and mixed findings on interventions targeting sedentary behavior in the workplace by evaluating a packaged contingency management intervention. Second, this study attempted to demonstrate the utility of a goal-setting procedure using shaping and percentile schedules of reinforcement to increase the frequency of brief bouts of walking throughout the workday, which has not yet been evaluated. Finally, this study sought to extend the sedentary behavior literature by evaluating the efficacy and feasibility of a technology-based intervention in which all procedures were completed entirely remotely. The packaged intervention was effective in increasing the number of physically active hourly intervals (i.e., hours in which the ≥ 250 step goal was met) to the mastery criterion for four participants, thereby disrupting prolonged periods of sedentary time. For two participants, the intervention did not meaningfully increase bouts of walking. Implications of these findings and future directions are discussed.