Early-Semester Peer Wellness Coaching Enhances Self-Regulated Physical Activity Behavior and Step-Based Adherence Among College Students
Faculty Mentor Name
Alexis King
Research or Creativity Area
Health Sciences
Abstract
Introduction Physical activity (PA) engagement commonly declines during the early academic term as college students navigate new schedules and environmental demands. This study evaluated changes in PA goal setting, active minutes, and step-based movement behavior during an 8-week peer-supported coaching intervention (WE-Fit) implemented within the first month of the semester.
Methods Participants (N = 11) were paired with trained student wellness coaches. The program included: (1) weekly individualized check-ins focused on goal setting, barrier identification, and progress reflection utilizing the Self-Determination Theory (SDT); (2) a structured weekly group workout session led by coaches to promote social support; and (3) a reflective rating of weekly exercise satisfaction to monitor psychological engagement. Students established weekly PA minute goals and wore Fitbit devices to objectively measure active minutes, and step counts across 5 tracked days/week. Weekly means and overall means ± SD values were calculated to evaluate behavioral calibration.
Results PA goals ranged from ~84–132 min/week, while completed PA increased from ~48 min early to ~196 min in Week 8 (+8.2%). Weekly step goals ranged from 34,909–48,000 steps/week, corresponding to an overall mean of 40,900 ± 27,608 steps/week. Actual steps increased from 47,632 in Week 0 to 68,343 in Week 8 (+43.5%), with an overall mean of 53,956 ± 27,995 steps/week. Early-phase weeks showed frequent underperformance relative to goals, while Weeks 6–8 demonstrated consistent goal attainment and step count surplus, indicating improved self-regulatory capacity, time management, and movement integration as students’ academic routines stabilized.
Conclusion Initiating peer coaching early in the semester supports the development of realistic PA goal setting and sustained daily movement behavior. Objective Fitbit tracking across standardized 5-day collection periods confirmed improvements in PA adherence and behavioral regulation. Peer coaching represents a scalable, low-resource approach for improving PA engagement during key transitional academic periods.
Purpose
Physical activity (PA) engagement commonly declines during the early academic term as college students navigate new schedules and environmental demands. This study evaluated changes in PA goal setting, active minutes, and step-based movement behavior during an 8-week peer-supported coaching intervention (WE-Fit) implemented within the first month of the semester.
Results
PA goals ranged from ~84–132 min/week, while completed PA increased from ~48 min early to ~196 min in Week 8 (+8.2%). Weekly step goals ranged from 34,909–48,000 steps/week, corresponding to an overall mean of 40,900 ± 27,608 steps/week. Actual steps increased from 47,632 in Week 0 to 68,343 in Week 8 (+43.5%), with an overall mean of 53,956 ± 27,995 steps/week. Early-phase weeks showed frequent underperformance relative to goals, while Weeks 6–8 demonstrated consistent goal attainment and step count surplus, indicating improved self-regulatory capacity, time management, and movement integration as students’ academic routines stabilized.
Significance
Initiating peer coaching early in the semester supports the development of realistic PA goal setting and sustained daily movement behavior. Objective Fitbit tracking across standardized 5-day collection periods confirmed improvements in PA adherence and behavioral regulation. Peer coaching represents a scalable, low-resource approach for improving PA engagement during key transitional academic periods.
Early-Semester Peer Wellness Coaching Enhances Self-Regulated Physical Activity Behavior and Step-Based Adherence Among College Students
Introduction Physical activity (PA) engagement commonly declines during the early academic term as college students navigate new schedules and environmental demands. This study evaluated changes in PA goal setting, active minutes, and step-based movement behavior during an 8-week peer-supported coaching intervention (WE-Fit) implemented within the first month of the semester.
Methods Participants (N = 11) were paired with trained student wellness coaches. The program included: (1) weekly individualized check-ins focused on goal setting, barrier identification, and progress reflection utilizing the Self-Determination Theory (SDT); (2) a structured weekly group workout session led by coaches to promote social support; and (3) a reflective rating of weekly exercise satisfaction to monitor psychological engagement. Students established weekly PA minute goals and wore Fitbit devices to objectively measure active minutes, and step counts across 5 tracked days/week. Weekly means and overall means ± SD values were calculated to evaluate behavioral calibration.
Results PA goals ranged from ~84–132 min/week, while completed PA increased from ~48 min early to ~196 min in Week 8 (+8.2%). Weekly step goals ranged from 34,909–48,000 steps/week, corresponding to an overall mean of 40,900 ± 27,608 steps/week. Actual steps increased from 47,632 in Week 0 to 68,343 in Week 8 (+43.5%), with an overall mean of 53,956 ± 27,995 steps/week. Early-phase weeks showed frequent underperformance relative to goals, while Weeks 6–8 demonstrated consistent goal attainment and step count surplus, indicating improved self-regulatory capacity, time management, and movement integration as students’ academic routines stabilized.
Conclusion Initiating peer coaching early in the semester supports the development of realistic PA goal setting and sustained daily movement behavior. Objective Fitbit tracking across standardized 5-day collection periods confirmed improvements in PA adherence and behavioral regulation. Peer coaching represents a scalable, low-resource approach for improving PA engagement during key transitional academic periods.
