Original Article
A content analysis of precede-proceed constructs in stress management mobile apps
Abstract
Background: The emergence of Apple’s iPhone provides a platform for freelance developers to design
third party apps, which greatly expands the functionality and utility of mobile devices for stress management.
This study provides a basic overview of the stress management apps under the health and fitness category of
the Apple App store and appraises each app’s potential for influencing behavior change.
Methods: Data for this study came from a content analysis of health and fitness app descriptions available in
the App Store on iTunes. Trained research assistants used the Precede-Proceed Model (PPM) as a framework
to guide the coding of paid stress management apps and to evaluate each app’s potential for effecting health
behavior change.
Results: Most apps were rated as being plausible (96.9%) and intending to address stress management
(98.5%), but only 63.3% were rated as recommendable to others for their use. Reinforcing apps were less
common than predisposing and enabling apps. Less than one percent (0.39%) of apps included all three
factors (predisposing, enabling and reinforcing).
Conclusions: Practitioners should be cautious when promoting the use of stress management apps, as
most provide only health-related information (predisposing) or suggestions for enabling behavior, but almost
none include all three theoretical factors recommended for behavior change.
third party apps, which greatly expands the functionality and utility of mobile devices for stress management.
This study provides a basic overview of the stress management apps under the health and fitness category of
the Apple App store and appraises each app’s potential for influencing behavior change.
Methods: Data for this study came from a content analysis of health and fitness app descriptions available in
the App Store on iTunes. Trained research assistants used the Precede-Proceed Model (PPM) as a framework
to guide the coding of paid stress management apps and to evaluate each app’s potential for effecting health
behavior change.
Results: Most apps were rated as being plausible (96.9%) and intending to address stress management
(98.5%), but only 63.3% were rated as recommendable to others for their use. Reinforcing apps were less
common than predisposing and enabling apps. Less than one percent (0.39%) of apps included all three
factors (predisposing, enabling and reinforcing).
Conclusions: Practitioners should be cautious when promoting the use of stress management apps, as
most provide only health-related information (predisposing) or suggestions for enabling behavior, but almost
none include all three theoretical factors recommended for behavior change.
