Use of Behaviour Change Techniques Delivered in Short Text Messages to Promote Cycling

Cycling as a form of active travel can help tackle a range of environmental, economic, and health related problems experienced by society. Despite the known benefits and ubiquitous efforts to promote it, cycling is not commonly adopted in many countries and the best ways to promote cycling are not fully understood. In three empirical studies, the current thesis aims to (i) better understand the most effective intervention components to promote cycling, (ii) test if intervention components can be delivered via short text messages, and (iii) test if intervention components are effective in promoting cycling when delivered via short text messages. For identifying the active components of interventions, the Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs) Taxonomy v1 was utilized. In the first empirical chapter, a meta-analysis of interventions to promote cycling was conducted and BCTs used in those interventions were coded to identify the most effective methods to promote cycling. The results indicated that interventions that used the BCTs of self-monitoring of behaviour and adding objects to the environment to promote cycling were more effective, whereas interventions that used restructuring the physical environment were less effective than others. In the second empirical chapter, a list of short text messages to deliver BCTs was developed and then assessed by experts through the Delphi Method. Sixty-six of the 93 messages were judged to deleiver their intended BCT with fidelity. In the third empirical chapter, an intervention was developed to promote active travel drawing on the results of the first and second studies. BCTs specific to the Control Theory delivered via short text messages had a small and non-significant effect (g+ = 0.24) on behaviour. The findings are discussed in relation to future interventions for cycling and behaviour change in general, and implications for the next version of the BCT taxonomy.