Using qualitative methods across five European countries to explore adolescent perspectives of smartphone apps to promote active lifestyles.

Introduction: Although numerous smartphone apps endeavor to promote physical activity (PA) among increasingly sedentary European adolescents, there is limited understanding of the role of culture and its influence on the specific features underpinning apps’ attempts for sustainable PA. Focus groups with adolescents aged 11-15 in the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden explored perceptions and expectations of apps designed to promote PA. The primary aim was to explore diverse insights to inform the development of an app for the MOVE4FUN project 101050871, focusing on encouraging active lifestyles among adolescents across Europe.

Method: Adolescents (N=39, 23 females, Mage 12.9 years, SD 1.2 years) with varying levels of PA engagement from diverse urban and rural backgrounds from the five countries participated in local focus groups. Discussions were structured around questions exploring various facets of PA and apps, including individual experiences, preferences, enjoyment, and Behavior Change Techniques. The transcripts from these discussions underwent inductive content analysis independently by investigators in their respective countries before meeting in person as an international collective to iteratively refine themes and debate culture comparisons.

Results: The analysis revealed critical themes related to adolescents' perceptions of PA and PA apps, including the importance of fun and enjoyment in promoting engagement. Participants expressed varying preferences for app features, emphasizing the significance of personalized goal-setting, self-monitoring, and social support. Rewards and feedback mechanisms were viewed as motivating factors.
Conclusions: Overall, the findings highlight the potential of well-designed PA apps to encourage active lifestyles among adolescents. Qualitative methods were central to elucidating the influence of cultural aspects and their contribution to developing the MOVE4FUN mobile app to promote PA across diverse European adolescents.