Using early phase studies to advance intervention research: The science of behavior change

Abstract

This special issue showcases how investigators working in different areas of health behavior change are utilizing early phase studies to advance intervention development. Through the publication of design or protocol papers for currently funded Science of Behavior Change (SOBC) network projects, the special issue illustrates how investigative teams are implementing the experimental medicine approach to advance our understanding of the mechanisms of action that underlie behavior change interventions and, in turn, develop an evidence base that can inform future intervention design. Given that a goal of the experimental medicine approach is the accumulation of an evidence base regarding the links between intervention strategies and putative mechanisms of action, it is critical that this evidence base is readily accessible to investigators and practitioners. Therefore, each of the included articles describes how it is implementing the open-science approach within its study protocol to ensure rigor and reproducibility. Each article provides information about how to register an early phase experiment before study conduct and how to publicly deposit the data, metadata, and publications. The special issue includes 10 design and protocol articles and 2 commentaries on a diverse array of scientific areas and approaches to test mechanisms of action for health behavior change interventions. By disseminating how the National Institutes of Health SOBC Initiative has supported the conduct of early phase intervention studies implementing the experimental medicine and open science approaches, the special issue provides a substantive roadmap to other scientists for how to adopt these approaches.