%0 Journal Article
%T Does a person's body size and the application type influence healthcare students' perceptions of technologies to promote physical activity? Findings from a cross-sectional study.
%A Hayotte M
%A Maïano C
%A De Toni F
%A d'Arripe-Longueville F
%J Nurse Educ Today
%V 139
%N 0
%D 2024 08 7
%M 38735096
%F 3.906
%R 10.1016/j.nedt.2024.106236
%X Recent evidence suggests that weight bias may be pervasive, even among health professionals specialized in obesity, including healthcare students. Technology-based physical activity interventions are promising for people with obesity, specifically when they are theory-driven (e.g., autonomy-supportive as described by self-determination theory). However, perceptions of these technologies have been understudied among healthcare students and professionals.<BR>The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of a person's body size based on body mass index and technology type on healthcare students' perceptions.<BR>This is a cross-sectional, experimental study.<BR>Five hundred and two healthcare students (360 females, 142 males; mean age = 23.3, SD = 5.0) were randomly exposed to one of four scenarios that manipulated a hypothetical person's body mass index (22 kg/m2 vs. 42 kg/m2) and a technology-based physical activity type based on self-determination theory (autonomy-supportive app vs. controlling app). They then completed measures of their perceptions of the person's app acceptability and self-efficacy and of their intention to recommend the app. Multivariate and univariate analyses of covariance were performed.<BR>Students exposed to the larger-bodied people (42 kg/m2) versus the smaller-bodied people (22 kg/m2) perceived a lower level of person's app acceptability (i.e., higher social influence and less enjoyment in using the app), as well as a lower level of self-efficacy to use the technology. Students exposed to the controlling app were more likely to recommend it compared to those exposed to the autonomy-supportive app.<BR>These results suggest that healthcare students' attitudes may be negatively influenced by explicit weight bias. Also, in contrast to self-determination theory precepts, a controlling app may be more frequently recommended. Further study of healthcare students' implicit attitudes toward technology is needed.