Making Healthy Choices: Does Having an Online Health Coach Help?

• Basic psychological needs satisfaction for physical activity: Psychological Need Satisfaction in Exercise Scale (PNSE; Wilson, Rogers, Rodgers, & Wild, 2006)[ Time Frame: Baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 12) ]
  Change in basic psychological need satisfaction for physical activity from baseline to post-intervention, using a 1 (false) to 6 (true) scale with higher scores representing a better outcome.
• Basic psychological need satisfaction for fruit and vegetable consumption: Psychological Need Satisfaction questionnaire (PNS; Deci, Ryan, Gagne, Leone, Usunov, & Kornazheva, 2001)[ Time Frame: Baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 12) ]
  Change in basic psychological need satisfaction for fruit and vegetable consumption from baseline to post-intervention, using a 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree) scale with higher scores representing a better outcome.
• Motivational regulations for physical activity: Exercise Treatment Self-Regulation Questionnaire (TSRQ-E; Williams, Deci, & Ryan, 1998)[ Time Frame: Baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 12) ]
  Change in motivational regulations for physical activity from baseline to post-intervention, using a 1 (not at all true) to 7 (very true) scale with higher scores representing a better outcome.
• Motivational regulations for fruit and vegetable consumption: Dietary Self-Regulation questionnaire (DSR; Williams, Deci, & Ryan, 1998)[ Time Frame: Baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 12) ]
  Change in motivational regulations for fruit and vegetable consumption from baseline to post-intervention, using a 1 (not at all true) to 7 (very true) scale with higher scores representing a better outcome.
• Perceived autonomy support: Health Care Climate Questionnaire (HCCQ; Williams, Grow, Freedman, Ryan, & Deci, 1996)[ Time Frame: Post-intervention (week 12) ]
  Level of perceived autonomy support for health behaviours in intervention group participants at post-intervention, using a 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree) scale with higher scores representing a better outcome.
• Recruitment rates[ Time Frame: Duration of recruitment and intervention phases (12 weeks) ]
  The number of eligible participants who enrol in the study out of the number assessed for eligibility
• Retention rates for intervention[ Time Frame: Duration of recruitment and intervention phases (12 weeks) ]
  The number of participants completing the twelve-week intervention.
• Adherence rates for intervention[ Time Frame: Duration of recruitment and intervention phases (12 weeks) ]
  The number of eligible participants completing ≥ 70% of the intervention sessions (i.e., 8/12)
• Acceptability of intervention: Semi-structured interviews[ Time Frame: Duration of recruitment and intervention phases (12 weeks) ]
  For participants randomized to the intervention group, what participants liked, disliked, and experienced during the intervention

Participating in regular physical activity and consuming a diet high in fruits and vegetables can aid in the management of various acute and chronic side effects of cancer treatment; however, few rural-dwelling young adult cancer survivors are active enough and consume enough fruits and vegetables to accrue benefits. Telehealth interventions show promise for helping these young adults increase their motivation to participate in these behaviours by addressing barriers associated with accessing face-to-face behaviour counselling services (e.g., time commitment, travel distance). Yet, few researchers have examined the feasibility and acceptability of a telehealth intervention that provides motivational support grounded in self-determination theory for these health behaviours in rural-dwelling young adult cancer survivors. Based on previous research, the researchers reasoned that rural-dwelling young adult cancer survivors' physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption would be more likely to increase if they participated in a telehealth intervention in comparison to if they received only digital copies of the American Cancer Society guidelines for physical activity and nutrition. The researchers therefore developed a pilot, two-armed randomized controlled trial to test this hypothesis, and aim to test its feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy. The study also aims to assess if changes in perceived basic psychological need satisfaction, behaviour regulation, and perceived autonomy support are associated with changes in physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption.

• Behavioral: interactive sessions
  This arm will receive personalized health coaching (behaviour change counseling)
• Behavioral: American Cancer Society guidelines
  This arm will receive the American Cancer Society guidelines

• Experimental: Intervention Group
  a copy of the American Cancer Society guidelines for physical activity and nutrition by email. twelve weekly interactive sessions with a health coach to help them set goals and make changes towards becoming physically active and consuming fruits and vegetables.
• Active Comparator: Comparison Group
  1. a copy of the American Cancer Society guidelines for physical activity and nutrition by email.