Nudging adolescent healthy behavior

Last registered on March 21, 2023
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Nudging adolescent healthy behavior
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0011103
Initial registration date
March 16, 2023

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
March 21, 2023, 4:09 PM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

Country
Portugal
Region

Primary Investigator

Name
Catia Batista
Affiliation
Nova School of Business and Economics
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Irene Consiglio
PI Affiliation
Nova School of Business and Economics
Contact Investigator
PI Name
José Tavares
PI Affiliation
Nova School of Business and Economics
Contact Investigator

Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2023-03-20
End date
2023-12-31
Keywords
Behavior, Health
Additional Keywords
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
We test policy interventions promoting healthy behavior among 9th grade adolescents from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. In the context of a college campus visit, participants will be randomly assigned to one of nine treatment groups providing different nudges to promote healthy behavior. The study aims at assessing the relative effectiveness of these interventions in changing participants healthy behavior choices.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Batista, Catia, Irene Consiglio and José Tavares. 2023. "Nudging adolescent healthy behavior." AEA RCT Registry. March 21. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.11103-1.0
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Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
We test policy interventions promoting healthy behavior among 9th grade adolescents from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of nine treatment arms, each with a different type of intervention to nudge healthy behavior.
Intervention Start Date
2023-03-20
Intervention End Date
2023-06-30

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Our main outcome of interest is the type of drink that students purchase in a self-service supermarket in a university campus.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
We will measure this outcome in three ways:
1) Observations. A research assistant observes and records participants' choices at the self-service cashier.
2) Self-report. At the end of the survey, participants complete a survey in which we embedded the following question:
"Please indicate what did you buy to drink at (name of the supermarket)?"
3) Individual purchase data from the supermarket. The supermarket will provide individual purchase data which we will be able to match with individual students via their student IDs recorded at the moment of purchase.

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
Participants will be randomly assigned to one of nine treatment arms. All participants, except those in the control group, are shown an electronic leaflet in a cell phone.
Experimental Design Details
Participants will be randomly assigned to one of nine treatment arms:
1. Medical endorsement + positive call-to-action
2. Medical endorsement + negative call-to-action
3. Store Clerk endorsement + positive call-to-action
4. Store Clerk endorsement + negative call-to-action
5. Medical endorsement + positive call-to-action + Reasons
6. Medical endorsement + negative call-to-action + Reasons
7. Store Clerk endorsement + positive call-to-action + Reasons
8. Store Clerk endorsement + negative call-to-action + Reasons
9. Control Condition: no leaflet.
All participants, except those in the control group, are shown an electronic leaflet in a cell phone.
In each treatment group with a medical endorser (store clerk), an image of a doctor (store clerk) is presented on the bottom left of the leaflet.
In each treatment group with a positive (negative) call to action participants are encouraged to drink water or juices (not drink soft drinks).
Finally, in each treatment group with added reasons, participants read reasons for engaging in the recommended behavior.
Participants in the control group do not read any leaflet.
Randomization Method
Private randomization by a computer.
Randomization Unit
Individual.
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
1800 students
Sample size: planned number of observations
1800 students
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
200 students per treatment arm
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Nova School of Business and Economics Ethics Committee
IRB Approval Date
2023-03-13
IRB Approval Number
#202254
Analysis Plan

Post-Trial

Post Trial Information

Study Withdrawal

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Intervention

Is the intervention completed?
No
Data Collection Complete
Data Publication

Data Publication

Is public data available?
No

Program Files

Program Files
Reports, Papers & Other Materials

Relevant Paper(s)

Reports & Other Materials