Health BehaviorNCT07674641
A Parental Support Intervention for Children's Nature-Based Physical Activity: A Randomized Controlled Trial
A study testing Self-Determination Theory plus identity intervention group and Self-Determination Theory intervention group in people with Health Behavior and Physical Activity Promotion, run by South China Normal University at 1 site in China.
Trial summary
This three-arm randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of an 8-week, WeChat-based parental support intervention designed to increase parents' support for children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 6 to 12 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Health Behavior, Physical Activity Promotion
- What is being tested?
- Self-Determination Theory plus identity intervention group and Self-Determination Theory intervention group
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 90 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- 6 Nov 2025to Jul 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 6 to 12 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child
Who may be able to join
- Families with at least one child aged 6 to 12 years
- Child has no contraindications for physical activity (as confirmed by parent report)
- Family owns a smartphone and is proficient in using WeChat (self-rated proficiency ≥ 4 on a 5-point scale)
- Family has engaged in natural environment physical activities ≤ 2 times per month in the past 3 months
- Parent or legal guardian is willing to provide informed consent and participate in the 12-week intervention
Who cannot join
- Child has a medical condition or disability that prevents participation in physical activity
- Family is currently participating in another physical activity intervention study
- Family plans to move out of the study area within the next 6 months
- Inability to read or understand Chinese (as intervention content is delivered in Chinese)
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
China1 site
School of Physical Education and Sports Science, South China Normal University
Guangzhou, Guangdong
About this study
Official title: A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Intervention to Increase Parental Support for Children's Physical Activity in Outdoor Natural Spaces
This three-arm randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of an 8-week, WeChat-based parental support intervention designed to increase parents' support for children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces. Participants were randomly assigned to a Self-Determination Theory plus identity intervention group, a Self-Determination Theory intervention group, or an education control group. Across the intervention period, each group received two articles per week via a WeChat Official Account, which were disseminated through condition-specific WeChat groups.
The primary outcome was parental support for children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces. Secondary outcomes included children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces and theory-based psychological variables related to parental support. Assessments were conducted at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and 8 weeks after the intervention had ended. Findings are intended to inform the development of feasible, theory-informed digital interventions to enhance parental support for children's nature-based physical activity.
Read the detailed description
This three-arm randomized controlled trial was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of an 8-week, WeChat-based parental support intervention in increasing parents' support for children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a Self-Determination Theory plus identity intervention group, a Self-Determination Theory group, or an education control group.
The intervention was delivered digitally through WeChat. During the 8-week intervention period, participants in each group received two articles per week via a WeChat Official Account, which were disseminated to condition-specific WeChat groups. In total, 16 articles were delivered to each group. The content of the articles differed according to the assigned intervention condition.
The Self-Determination Theory intervention was designed to enhance parents' autonomy, competence, and relatedness in supporting their children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces. The intervention content aimed to help parents understand the value of supporting children's nature-based physical activity, develop confidence in providing practical support, and foster supportive parent-child interactions around outdoor activity participation. The Self-Determination Theory plus identity intervention included the same need-supportive components, with additional content aimed at strengthening parents' support identity. This identity-focused component was designed to help parents view supporting children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces as consistent with their role as supportive parents. The education control group received general educational materials concerning children's health behaviours, without theory-based behaviour-change content targeting parental support.
The primary outcome was parental support for children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces. Secondary outcomes included family physical activity in outdoor natural spaces and theory-based psychological variables related to parental support, including autonomy, competence, relatedness, intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, integrated regulation, and parental support identity. Assessments were conducted at three time points: baseline, immediately after the 8-week intervention, and 8 weeks after the intervention had ended.
Findings from this trial are expected to provide evidence regarding preliminary effectiveness of a theory-informed, digitally delivered intervention for enhancing parental support for children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces.
- Conditions
- Health Behavior, Physical Activity Promotion
- Being tested
- Self-Determination Theory plus identity intervention group, Self-Determination Theory intervention group
- Keywords
- Physical activity, Children, Parents, Family-Based Intervention, Natural Environment
- Medical subject headings
- Health Behavior, Motor Activity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Self-Determination Theory plus identity intervention groupBehavioural
Participants in this group received an 8-week WeChat-based parental support intervention designed to increase parents' support for children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces. The intervention content was grounded in Self-Determination Theory and focused on enhancing parents' autonomy, competence, and relatedness in supporting their children's outdoor nature-based physical activity. In addition, this arm included identity-focused content designed to strengthen parents' support identity, helping parents view the provision of support for children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces as consistent with their role as supportive parents. Two articles were delivered each week via a WeChat Official Account and disseminated through the condition-specific WeChat group, resulting in 16 articles in total.
Self-Determination Theory intervention groupBehavioural
Participants in this group received an 8-week WeChat-based parental support intervention grounded in Self-Determination Theory. The intervention focused on enhancing parents' autonomy, competence, and relatedness in supporting their children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces. The content was designed to help parents recognise the value of supporting children's outdoor nature-based physical activity, increase their confidence in providing practical support, and foster supportive parent-child interactions around outdoor activity participation. Two articles were delivered each week via a WeChat Official Account and disseminated through the condition-specific WeChat group, resulting in 16 articles in total. This group served as a theory-based comparator intervention to examine the additional contribution of the identity-focused component.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Determination Theory plus identity intervention group | Experimental | Participants in this group received an 8-week WeChat-based intervention designed to enhance parental support for children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces. The intervention content was grounded in Self-Determination Theory and focused on supporting parents' autonomy, competence, and relatedness in facilitating children's outdoor nature-based physical activity. In addition, this group received identity-focused content aimed at strengthening parents' support identity, that is, helping parents view the provision of support for children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces as consistent with their role as supportive parents. Two articles were delivered each week via a WeChat Official Account and disseminated through the condition-specific WeChat group, resulting in 16 articles in total. Receives: Behavioral: Self-Determination Theory plus identity intervention group |
| Self-Determination Theory intervention group | Experimental | Participants in this group received an 8-week WeChat-based intervention grounded in Self-Determination Theory. The intervention focused on enhancing parents' autonomy, competence, and relatedness in supporting children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces. Content was designed to help parents recognise the value of supporting children's outdoor nature-based physical activity, develop confidence in providing practical support, and foster supportive parent-child interactions around outdoor activity participation. Two articles were delivered each week via a WeChat Official Account and disseminated through the condition-specific WeChat group, resulting in 16 articles in total. Receives: Behavioral: Self-Determination Theory intervention group |
| Education control group | No intervention | Participants in this group received general educational materials related to children's physical activity and outdoor natural spaces. The materials provided information on the benefits of physical activity and outdoor natural spaces but did not include theory-based behaviour-change content targeting parents' autonomy, competence, relatedness, or support identity. Two articles were delivered each week via a WeChat Official Account and disseminated through the condition-specific WeChat group, resulting in 16 articles in total. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Parental support for children's nature-based physical activity
Parental support for children's nature-based physical activity will be assessed using an adapted 5-item parental support questionnaire. The items were adapted from previous measures of parental support for children's physical activity and parent-child co-participation in physical activity-related behaviours, with wording modified to focus on children's physical activity or sport participation in outdoor natural environments. The questionnaire assesses parental encouragement, co-participation, transportation/logistical support, parental role modelling, and organisation of family outdoor activities. Items are rated on a 5-point frequency scale from 1 = never to 5 = every day. A mean score will be calculated, with higher scores indicating greater support for children's nature-based physical activity.
Measured: Baseline, Week 8 (Post-intervention), and Week 16 (Follow-up, 8 weeks post-intervention).
Secondary outcomes (2)
Parental Identity Toward Supporting Children's Nature-Based Physical Activity
Parental identity toward supporting children's nature-based physical activity will be assessed using a 3-item self-report questionnaire adapted from the Exercise Identity Scale. The original scale assesses the extent to which exercise is integrated into an individual's self-concept. In the present study, the items were modified to assess the extent to which parents identify themselves as someone who supports their child's physical activity or sport participation in outdoor natural environments. Items assess whether parents consider themselves supportive of their child's nature-based physical activity, include this support when describing themselves, and believe that others view them as a supportive parent in this domain. Responses are rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree. A mean score will be calculated across the three items, with higher scores indicating stronger parental identity toward supporting children's nature-based physical
Measured: Baseline, Week 8 (Post-intervention), and Week 16 (Follow-up, 8 weeks post-intervention).
Behavioural Regulation in Supporting Children's Nature-Based Physical Activity
Behavioural regulation in supporting children's nature-based physical activity will be assessed using a 24-item self-report questionnaire adapted from the Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-3 (BREQ-3). The original BREQ-3 assesses different forms of motivation for exercise based on Self-Determination Theory. In the present study, items were modified to assess parents' motivation for supporting their child's physical activity or sport participation in outdoor natural environments. The questionnaire assesses six types of motivation: intrinsic regulation, integrated regulation, identified regulation, introjected regulation, external regulation, and amotivation. Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale, with higher subscale scores indicating stronger endorsement of the corresponding type of motivation. Mean scores will be calculated separately for each motivation subscale.
Measured: Baseline, Week 8 (Post-intervention), and Week 16 (Follow-up, 8 weeks post-intervention).
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted29 Jun 2026
- Study start6 Nov 2025
- Primary completionJul 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionJul 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Health BehaviorStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- This study used a three-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled design to compare two theory-informed parental support interventions with an education control condition. Participants were randomly allocated to a Self-Determination Theory plus identity intervention group, a Self-Determination Theory group, or an education control group. All groups received digital materials through WeChat over an 8-week intervention period, with two articles delivered each week. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at an 8-week post-intervention follow-up.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 90 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- South China Normal University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Ru ZHANG, South China Normal University
- Investigators
- Ru Zhang, Principal investigator, South China Normal University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07674641
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- SCNU-SPT-2025-007
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 24 Jun 2026
- Last updated
- 29 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 29 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Intervention to Increase Parental Support for Children's Physical Activity in Outdoor Natural Spaces
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07674641
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- SCNU-SPT-2025-007
- Conditions
- Health Behavior, Physical Activity Promotion
- Keywords
- Physical activity, Children, Parents, Family-Based Intervention, Natural Environment
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 90 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- South China Normal UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 6 Nov 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Jul 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Jul 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 29 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This three-arm randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of an 8-week, WeChat-based parental support intervention designed to increase parents' support for children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces. Participants were randomly assigned to a Self-Determination Theory plus identity intervention group, a Self-Determination Theory intervention group, or an education control group. Across the intervention period, each group received two articles per week via a WeChat Official Account, which were disseminated through condition-specific WeChat groups.
The primary outcome was parental support for children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces. Secondary outcomes included children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces and theory-based psychological variables related to parental support. Assessments were conducted at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and 8 weeks after the intervention had ended. Findings are intended to inform the development of feasible, theory-informed digital interventions to enhance parental support for children's nature-based physical activity.
Detailed description
This three-arm randomized controlled trial was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of an 8-week, WeChat-based parental support intervention in increasing parents' support for children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a Self-Determination Theory plus identity intervention group, a Self-Determination Theory group, or an education control group.
The intervention was delivered digitally through WeChat. During the 8-week intervention period, participants in each group received two articles per week via a WeChat Official Account, which were disseminated to condition-specific WeChat groups. In total, 16 articles were delivered to each group. The content of the articles differed according to the assigned intervention condition.
The Self-Determination Theory intervention was designed to enhance parents' autonomy, competence, and relatedness in supporting their children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces. The intervention content aimed to help parents understand the value of supporting children's nature-based physical activity, develop confidence in providing practical support, and foster supportive parent-child interactions around outdoor activity participation. The Self-Determination Theory plus identity intervention included the same need-supportive components, with additional content aimed at strengthening parents' support identity. This identity-focused component was designed to help parents view supporting children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces as consistent with their role as supportive parents. The education control group received general educational materials concerning children's health behaviours, without theory-based behaviour-change content targeting parental support.
The primary outcome was parental support for children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces. Secondary outcomes included family physical activity in outdoor natural spaces and theory-based psychological variables related to parental support, including autonomy, competence, relatedness, intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, integrated regulation, and parental support identity. Assessments were conducted at three time points: baseline, immediately after the 8-week intervention, and 8 weeks after the intervention had ended.
Findings from this trial are expected to provide evidence regarding preliminary effectiveness of a theory-informed, digitally delivered intervention for enhancing parental support for children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- This study used a three-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled design to compare two theory-informed parental support interventions with an education control condition. Participants were randomly allocated to a Self-Determination Theory plus identity intervention group, a Self-Determination Theory group, or an education control group. All groups received digital materials through WeChat over an 8-week intervention period, with two articles delivered each week. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at an 8-week post-intervention follow-up.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Determination Theory plus identity intervention group | Experimental | Behavioral: Self-Determination Theory plus identity intervention groupParticipants in this group received an 8-week WeChat-based intervention designed to enhance parental support for children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces. The intervention content was grounded in Self-Determination Theory and focused on supporting parents' autonomy, competence, and relatedness in facilitating children's outdoor nature-based physical activity. In addition, this group received identity-focused content aimed at strengthening parents' support identity, that is, helping parents view the provision of support for children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces as consistent with their role as supportive parents. Two articles were delivered each week via a WeChat Official Account and disseminated through the condition-specific WeChat group, resulting in 16 articles in total. |
| Self-Determination Theory intervention group | Experimental | Behavioral: Self-Determination Theory intervention groupParticipants in this group received an 8-week WeChat-based intervention grounded in Self-Determination Theory. The intervention focused on enhancing parents' autonomy, competence, and relatedness in supporting children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces. Content was designed to help parents recognise the value of supporting children's outdoor nature-based physical activity, develop confidence in providing practical support, and foster supportive parent-child interactions around outdoor activity participation. Two articles were delivered each week via a WeChat Official Account and disseminated through the condition-specific WeChat group, resulting in 16 articles in total. |
| Education control group | No intervention | –Participants in this group received general educational materials related to children's physical activity and outdoor natural spaces. The materials provided information on the benefits of physical activity and outdoor natural spaces but did not include theory-based behaviour-change content targeting parents' autonomy, competence, relatedness, or support identity. Two articles were delivered each week via a WeChat Official Account and disseminated through the condition-specific WeChat group, resulting in 16 articles in total. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 6 to 12 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Families with at least one child aged 6 to 12 years
- Child has no contraindications for physical activity (as confirmed by parent report)
- Family owns a smartphone and is proficient in using WeChat (self-rated proficiency ≥ 4 on a 5-point scale)
- Family has engaged in natural environment physical activities ≤ 2 times per month in the past 3 months
- Parent or legal guardian is willing to provide informed consent and participate in the 12-week intervention
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Child has a medical condition or disability that prevents participation in physical activity
- Family is currently participating in another physical activity intervention study
- Family plans to move out of the study area within the next 6 months
- Inability to read or understand Chinese (as intervention content is delivered in Chinese)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Determination Theory plus identity intervention groupParticipants in this group received an 8-week WeChat-based parental support intervention designed to increase parents' support for children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces. The intervention content was grounded in Self-Determination Theory and focused on enhancing parents' autonomy, competence, and relatedness in supporting their children's outdoor nature-based physical activity. In addition, this arm included identity-focused content designed to strengthen parents' support identity, helping parents view the provision of support for children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces as consistent with their role as supportive parents. Two articles were delivered each week via a WeChat Official Account and disseminated through the condition-specific WeChat group, resulting in 16 articles in total. | Behavioural | Self-Determination Theory plus identity intervention group |
| Self-Determination Theory intervention groupParticipants in this group received an 8-week WeChat-based parental support intervention grounded in Self-Determination Theory. The intervention focused on enhancing parents' autonomy, competence, and relatedness in supporting their children's physical activity in outdoor natural spaces. The content was designed to help parents recognise the value of supporting children's outdoor nature-based physical activity, increase their confidence in providing practical support, and foster supportive parent-child interactions around outdoor activity participation. Two articles were delivered each week via a WeChat Official Account and disseminated through the condition-specific WeChat group, resulting in 16 articles in total. This group served as a theory-based comparator intervention to examine the additional contribution of the identity-focused component. | Behavioural | Self-Determination Theory intervention group |
Primary outcome
Parental support for children's nature-based physical activity
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8 (Post-intervention), and Week 16 (Follow-up, 8 weeks post-intervention).
Parental support for children's nature-based physical activity will be assessed using an adapted 5-item parental support questionnaire. The items were adapted from previous measures of parental support for children's physical activity and parent-child co-participation in physical activity-related behaviours, with wording modified to focus on children's physical activity or sport participation in outdoor natural environments. The questionnaire assesses parental encouragement, co-participation, transportation/logistical support, parental role modelling, and organisation of family outdoor activities. Items are rated on a 5-point frequency scale from 1 = never to 5 = every day. A mean score will be calculated, with higher scores indicating greater support for children's nature-based physical activity.
2 secondary outcomes
Parental Identity Toward Supporting Children's Nature-Based Physical Activity
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8 (Post-intervention), and Week 16 (Follow-up, 8 weeks post-intervention).
Behavioural Regulation in Supporting Children's Nature-Based Physical Activity
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8 (Post-intervention), and Week 16 (Follow-up, 8 weeks post-intervention).
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 29 Jun 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Related trials for Health Behavior
Not yet recruiting
A Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation and Cost-Utility Evaluation of a Support Programme for Informal Carers of People With Dementia in Primary Care (EsCuidar2)
Quality of Life
Recruiting
The Sleep2BWell Trial
Blood Pressure, Sleep Health
Active, not recruitingObservational study
Gulf Long-Term Follow-Up Study
Cardiovascular Disease, Hematologic Diseases
Not yet recruiting
Supporting Health and Empowerment Through Contingency Management and Affect Regulation
HIV Risk
Recruiting
Ambient Air and Noise Effect on Cardiovascular Health Risk and Lifestyle Intervention to Attenuate It (METSGREEN)
Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD), Metabolic Syndrome
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Ru Zhang principal investigator
South China Normal University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Self-Determination Theory plus identity intervention group and Self-Determination Theory intervention group in people with Health Behavior and Physical Activity Promotion, run by South China Normal University at 1 site in China.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 29 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in China. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Parental support for children's nature-based physical activity (time frame: Baseline, Week 8 (Post-intervention), and Week 16 (Follow-up, 8 weeks post-intervention).). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 29 Jun 2026.