Implementation processes of social network interventions for physical activity and sedentary behavior among children and adolescents: a scoping review

• Published in: BMC public health Vol. 24; no. 1; pp. 1101 - 17
• Main Authors: Petro-Petro, Jose, Arango-Paternina, Carlos Mario, Patiño-Villada, Fredy Alonso, Ramirez-Villada, Jhon Fredy, Brownson, Ross C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 22.04.2024; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Analysis; Child; Children; Dissemination and implementation research; Exercise; Exercise - psychology; Health aspects; Health behavior; Health Promotion - methods; Health-related behaviors; Humans; Influence; Intervention; Personal relationships; Physical activity; Physical fitness; Qualitative analysis; Reviews; Screen time; Sedentary Behavior; Social influence; Social network analysis; Social Networking; Social networks; Social norm; Social norms; Social organization; Social Support; Teenagers; Typology; Validity; United States; Social influence; Social norm; Social network analysis; Health-related behaviors; Social modeling; Social pressure; Dissemination and implementation research; Social support
• ISSN: 1471-2458; 1471-2458
• DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18615-6

The characteristics of the implementation process of interventions are essential for bridging the gap between research and practice. This scoping review aims to identify the implementation process of social network interventions (SNI) to address physical activity and sedentary behaviors in children and adolescents. The scoping review was conducted adhering to the established guidelines. The search was carried out in the ERIC, EBSCO, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and Lilacs databases in April 2023. Social network intervention studies in children and adolescents were included, addressing physical activity or sedentary behaviors. Replicability (TIDieR), applicability (PRECIS-2), and generalizability (RE-AIM) were the explored components of the implementation process. Each component was quantitatively and separately analyzed. Then, a qualitative integration was carried out using a narrative method. Most SNI were theoretically framed on the self-determination theory, used social influence as a social mechanism, and used the individual typology of network intervention. Overall, SNI had strong replicability, tended to be pragmatic, and three RE-AIM domains (reach, adoption (staff), and implementation) showed an acceptable level of the generalizability of findings. The analyzed SNI for physical activity and sedentary behaviors in adolescents tended to be reported with high replicability and were conducted pragmatically, i.e., with very similar conditions to real settings. The RE-AIM domains of reach, adoption (staff), and implementation support the generalizability of SNI. Some domains of the principles of implementation strategies of SNI had acceptable external validity (actor, action targets, temporality, dose, and theoretical justification).