LEMURS SSI: Evaluation of Behavioral Incentives

The goal of this substudy is to determine if a brief single-session-intervention (SSI) coupled with different incentive strategies to support engaging in wellness-related activities. Participants will be given a brief SSI that will provide education and strategies to improve a wellness related goal (e.g., improve sleep, improve physical activity, improve mental health). They will then be asked to select a series of wellness related-behaviors in support of that goal to complete each day (e.g., going for a 20 minute walk, going to bed at a specific time). Participants will be randomized to one of four incentive conditions and receive rewards based on their completion of such activities. The aim of the study is to determine which incentive strategy may prove most effective in promoting wellness behaviors. There are two main factors (Recipient x Restoration) that will create four distinct groups. Recipient refers to who will receive the incentive - either an individual or a charity. Restoration refers to what happens when a participant misses a day of completing their goal - they are given a restorative (additional) incentive to participants on the following day or not given such an incentive. The primary hypothesis is that individuals receiving the incentive with a restorative element will result in significantly more activities completed. Additional hypotheses regarding differences among the other groups are not made given the lack of prior work on these strategies in this area.

Inclusion criteria

Current undergraduate student in their first year of school own a mobile device

Exclusion criteria

None