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NCT Number: NCT07540052

Impact of Loss Aversion Messaging and Anticipated Regret for Inaction on Exercise Adherence in Older Adults

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if messages focused on not losing the functional benefits of exercise can help older adults with walking difficulty continue to exercise regularly. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Do these messages make people more likely to anticipate regretting it if they do not exercise? Does more anticipated regret make it more likely they will exercise more regularly?

Researchers will compare two versions of messages to see if the content of these one of these message types is more effective than the other.

Participants will complete a daily 5-minute at home exercise program for 4 months and complete regular online surveys to track their progress and report their feelings regarding regret.

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Key information

Conditions

Mobility Disability Mobility Limitation Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms Walking Difficulty

Age range

65 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

About this study

The goal of the proposed clinical trial is to identify strategies to blunt the effects of post-intervention decay in older adults with difficulty walking. While early improvements from exercise are large, they typically plateau and then decline post-intervention. This early improvement, however, creates an opportunity. Similar to daily interactions common with private companies, the investigators seek to increase the rate of conversion - that is, completing the task - while considering the improvements from engaging in exercise to be accumulated benefits. Drawing from behavioral economics, then, the investigators propose that the conversion rate to act (i.e., increase the likelihood of completing daily exercises) may be increased by using loss aversion (i.e., loss of accumulated benefits) in the form of messaging.

In this study the investigators will conduct a randomized trial among individuals (N=128) age 65 and over who have serious difficulty walking and have completed an at-home, brief strength training intervention, comparing 4 months of standard adherence reminders to standard adherence reminders supplemented with periodic loss aversion messages. The proposed trial aims to answer the questions: (1) Does the supplementation of loss aversion messaging increase anticipated regret for inaction among older adults previously enrolled in an at-home exercise program? (2) Does higher anticipated regret predict greater intention to exercise and exercise adherence post-intervention?

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Completed 12 months of FAST intervention

Exclusion criteria

  • No planned surgeries within the upcoming 4 months

Treatment and study plan

Brief Daily At-Home Strength Training Program

Behavioral

FAST is a brief, daily, at-home exercise program designed for older adults with difficulty walking. The program includes 5 exercises performed for 30 seconds each, during which time participants try to complete as many repetitions as they can, followed by 30 seconds of rest.

The 5 exercises are: chair stands, countertop pushups, aerobic steps, resistance band rows, and walking laps. Participants are sent daily reminders and links for self-monitoring their performance.

Loss Aversion Messaging

Behavioral

Loss aversion messages will be included with those messages in the experimental condition on a maximum of 3 out of the 7 days each week. There will be 3 themes (related to their performance of daily exercises) featured as topics for the loss aversion messages. The three themes are: 1) standing up from a chair (i.e., chair stands), 2) going up and down stairs (i.e., aerobic steps), and 3) walking longer distances (i.e., walking laps).

Standard Adherence Reminder Messaging

Behavioral

Standard reminders to perform exercise will be delivered daily.

Primary outcomes

  1. Anticipated Regret of Inaction

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 8, Week 12, and Week 16

    One is equivalent to definitely not anticipating regret and 8 indicates definitely anticipating regret.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Intention to Complete Exercise Program

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 8, Week 12, and Week 16

    One indicates definitely not intending to complete all of the exercise program over the next week and 8 indicates definitely intending to complete all of the exercise program over the next week.

  2. Adherence to Exercise Program

    Time frame: Data collected daily, assessed over the 16 weeks of intervention.

    A percentage of days on which the exercise program was completed (0-100%).

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Jordan D Kurth, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

(717) 531-4417

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Testing the Impact of Loss Aversion Messaging and Anticipated Regret for Inaction on Exercise Adherence in Older Adults: A Randomized Pilot Trial

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Apr 20, 2026
Registry last updated
Apr 20, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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