%0 Journal Article
%@ 1438-8871
%I JMIR Publications
%V 21
%N 10
%P e14074
%T Identifying the Most Autonomy-Supportive Message Frame in Digital Health Communication: A 2x2 Between-Subjects Experiment
%A Smit,Eline Suzanne
%A Zeidler,Chamoetal
%A Resnicow,Ken
%A de Vries,Hein
%+ Department of Communication Science, Amsterdam School of Communication Research, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 15791, Amsterdam, 1001 NG, Netherlands, 31 (0)625258558, E.S.Smit@uva.nl
%K health communication
%K health behavior
%K personal autonomy
%K internet
%K health promotion
%K healthy diet
%K self-determination theory
%D 2019
%7 30.10.2019
%9 Original Paper
%J J Med Internet Res
%G English
%X Background: The effectiveness of digital health communication may be increased by enhancing autonomy supportiveness. Objective: This study aimed to identify the most autonomy-supportive message frame within an intervention for increasing vegetable intake by testing the effect of the following 2 strategies: (1) using autonomy-supportive language and (2) providing choice. Methods: A Web-based 2 (autonomy-supportive vs controlling language)×2 (choice vs no choice) experiment was conducted among 526 participants, recruited via a research panel. The main outcome measures were perceived autonomy support (measured using the Virtual Care Climate Questionnaire, answered with scores 1 to 5), perceived relevance (measured with one question, answered with scores 1 to 5), and overall evaluation of the intervention (measured with 1 open-ended question, answered with scores 1 to 10). Results: Choice had a significant positive effect on the overall evaluation of the intervention (b=.12; P=.003), whereas for participants with a high need for autonomy, there was a significant positive effect on perceived relevance (b=.13; P=.02). The positive effect of choice on perceived autonomy support approached significance (b=.07; P=.07). No significant effects on any of the three outcomes were observed for language. Conclusions: Results suggest that provision of choice rather than the use of autonomy-supportive language can be an easy-to-implement strategy to increase the effectiveness of digital forms of health communication, especially for people with a high need for autonomy. 
%M 31670693
%R 10.2196/14074
%U http://www.jmir.org/2019/10/e14074/
%U https://doi.org/10.2196/14074
%U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31670693