Vicarious Experience to Affect Physical Activity in Women: A Randomized Control Trial.

The analysed sample was only 22 control and 21 intervention participants after drop-out. The study was done at a single Midwestern health system with mostly Caucasian women, so it may not apply to other workplaces or groups. Drop-out was higher in the intervention group than the control group. The advanced practice nurse who completed physical assessments was not blinded to group assignment. The study used a p value threshold of less than 0.10 because it was preliminary. Motivation was measured with three investigator-developed items. The social comparison motive scale was originally validated for pregnancy prevention in adolescents, not physical activity in adults. The participants were physically inactive women employed at a health system.

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The supplied metadata lists NIH extramural and non-U.S. government research support, but the article text does not state whether the sponsor designed the study or wrote the manuscript.

Do not conclude that peer modeling increased physical activity, fitness, or psychological outcomes. The current trial found no significant group-by-time differences in self-efficacy, motivation, or comparison thinking, and the fitness findings are described as not significant and come from a prior pilot report. The study also used a p value threshold of less than 0.10 for a preliminary design.