Exploring the influence of persuasive reminders and virtual rehearsal on the efficacy of health behavior change support system

Abstract Information technologies have opened new opportunities to develop persuasive systems that support people to adopt and sustain healthy behaviors. Both web-based and ubiquitous information systems have shown promising results in supporting people to adopt healthy routines. Persuasive systems have therefore received increasing attention from researchers over the past decade. Behavior Change Support Systems are an object of persuasive technology. These systems are designed to facilitate behavior change process over an extended period of time. This dissertation comprises of six studies, including two investigative, two experimental, and two field studies. An effort has been made to consecutively build these studies to formulate a central research question: To what extent virtual rehearsal augmented with reminders influence overall efficacy of health Behavior Change Support Systems? The primary theoretical underpinning is the Persuasive Systems Design model, which highlights seven postulates and twenty-eight software features for developing Behavior Change Support Systems. However, in the presented work, reminders and virtual rehearsal are explicitly studied. The interplay between these software features is examined through using a mixed-method research approach, using qualitative methodology as a core research approach. The results indicate that carefully selected and integrated persuasive software features have significant impact on the overall efficacy of Behavior Change Support Systems. Presented work addresses health behavioral change as a critical aspect of healthcare, and also extends contemporary research on critical issues in healthcare including task adherence, attrition and compliance.Tiivistelmä Uudet informaatioteknologiat ovat mahdollistaneet sellaisten vakuuttavien järjestelmien kehittämisen, jotka voivat tukea terveellisten käyttäytymismallien omaksumisessa ja niiden ylläpitämisessä. Sekä web-pohjaisilla että jokapaikan tietojärjestelmillä on saatu lupaavia tuloksia terveellisten rutiinien omaksumisessa. Vakuuttavat järjestelmät ovat näin viimeisen vuosikymmenen aikana saaneet kasvavaa huomiota tutkijoilta. Yksi vakuuttavan teknologian tutkimuskohteista on käyttäytymisen muutoksen tukijärjestelmät. Nämä järjestelmät on suunniteltu helpottamaan käyttäytymisen muutoksessa pitkähkön aikajakson kuluessa. Tämä väitöskirja koostuu kuudesta tutkimuksesta, sisältäen kaksi eksploratiivista, kaksi kokeellista ja kaksi kenttätutkimusta. Kyseiset tutkimukset on suunnitelut siten, että on voitu muodostaa yksi keskeinen tutkimuskysymys: Missä määrin virtuaalinen harjoittelu yhdessä muistutusten kanssa voi vaikuttaa käyttäytymisen muutoksen tukijärjestelmien tehokkuuteen? Pääasiallisena teoreettisena pohjana toimii vakuuttavien järjestelmien PSD-suunnittelumenetelmä (Persuasive Systems Design Model), joka korostaa seitsemää perusoletusta ja 28 ohjelmisto-ominaisuutta tällaisten käyttäytymisen muutoksen tukijärjestelmien kehittämisessä. Tässä väitöskirjassa on keskitytty tutkimaan erityisesti virtuaalisia muistutuksia ja virtuaalista harjoittelua. Kyseisiä ohjelmisto-ominaisuuksia on tarkasteltu käyttämällä mixed-method -tutkimustapaa erityisesti laadullisella tutkimusotteella. Tässä tutkimuksessa saadut tulokset osoittavat, että järjestelmien huolella valituilla ja toteutetuilla vakuuttavilla ominaisuuksilla on merkittävä vaikutus käyttäytymisen muutoksen tukijärjestelmien tehokkuuteen. Väitös osoittaa terveyskäyttäytymisen muutoksen olevan kriittinen osa terveydenhoitoa. Väitöstyö myös lisää terveydenhoidon tietämystä sen kriittisissä ongelmissa, erityisesti harjoituksiin sitoutumisessa tai vastaavasti harjoitusten tekemättä jättämisessä ylipäätään ja ohjeiden noudattamisessa

Treating sleep disorders with an ACT-based behavior change support system

Abstract Suitable duration and appropriate quality of sleep are essential for mental and cognitive wellbeing. Sleep disorders, whether mild or severe, have proven to have adverse effects on general wellbeing. One’s quality of life could be disturbed as a consequence of various mental conditions, sleep disorders being one of them. Researchers have started paying attention to designing, implementing and evaluating eHealth interventions to address sleep disorders. In this chapter, we highlight findings from a field study that was conducted to evaluate effect of software features on a Web-based intervention for sleep disorders. Tyyne is a Web-based eHealth intervention that will be repeatedly mentioned as Behavior Change Support Systsm (BCSS). Tynne offered weekly modules that were drawn from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). From an Information system’s perspective, the modules were identified and applied as a persuasive software feature that is promoted by the Persuasive Systems Design Model (PSD Model). The duration of the Web-based intervention was 6 weeks. Upon completion of the intervention, about one third (37.2%) of the participants reported that they could better manage their sleep problems. We argue that a relatively low percentage is still highly encouraging, as treatment of sleep-related disorders is a complicated and understudied area. Manifestly, longitudinal studies would help determine the effect of ACT-incorporated Web-based interventions. However, the chapter underscores the effect of persuasive software features incorporated with ACT-based components as a step towards managing sleep disorders

Understanding the structure and reactivity of the C–S linkage in biologically active 5-arylthio-5H-chromenopyridines

Molecules based on the 5-arylthio-5H-chromenopyridine structure have been studied for a variety of medicinal applications, including liver fibrosis. We have recently found that the C–S linkage can be cleaved with Pt(II) and Au(I), something that was not previously recognized. In this current work, we examine the structure, properties, and reactivity of 5-arylthio-5H-chromenopyridines using spectroscopy, crystallography, reactivity, density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and electrochemistry. We report the crystal structures of 5-arylthio-5H-chromenopyridines, as well as their DFT-calculated structures and electronic structures. The DFT calculations help to explain the electronic properties of these complexes, such as the observation that “soft” metals cleave the C–S bond. We find that the arylthio group is a good leaving group on these molecules due to the stability of the carbocation that is formed, and can be removed viareduction with NaBH4. Methoxy-substituted chromenopyridines were found to be viable at inhibiting liver fibrosis. These results will help inform the biological studies with these compounds to determine method of action and enhance development of new drug molecules with increased stability and activity based on the 5H-chromenopyridine scaffold

Understanding the structure and reactivity of the C–S linkage in biologically active 5-arylthio-5H-chromenopyridines

Molecules based on the 5-arylthio-5H-chromenopyridine structure have been studied for a variety of medicinal applications, including liver fibrosis. We have recently found that the C–S linkage can be cleaved with Pt(II) and Au(I), something that was not previously recognized. In this current work, we examine the structure, properties, and reactivity of 5-arylthio-5H-chromenopyridines using spectroscopy, crystallography, reactivity, density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and electrochemistry. We report the crystal structures of 5-arylthio-5H-chromenopyridines, as well as their DFT-calculated structures and electronic structures. The DFT calculations help to explain the electronic properties of these complexes, such as the observation that “soft” metals cleave the C–S bond. We find that the arylthio group is a good leaving group on these molecules due to the stability of the carbocation that is formed, and can be removed viareduction with NaBH4. Methoxy-substituted chromenopyridines were found to be viable at inhibiting liver fibrosis. These results will help inform the biological studies with these compounds to determine method of action and enhance development of new drug molecules with increased stability and activity based on the 5H-chromenopyridine scaffold