Exergame Study for Family Caregivers

Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) captures participants' psychological distress over the past week, scores were summed across the items (Total score ranges from 0-72, with higher scores indicating more stress) (Derogatis, 1975).

Time frame: Baseline (Average of Week 1 and 2), Weekly during the intervention from Week 3 to 8

Population: not all participants completed each weekly survey. There were missing weekly surveys for some participants on some weeks

Caregiver's Stress Scale has a series of subscales based on a conceptual model of caregivers' stress: overload, relational deprivation, job and caregiving conflict, role captivity, sense of self, caregiving competence, personal gain, management of situation, management of meaning, management of distress, and expressive support. Each subscale ranges from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree), and each subscale was averaged (with possible score ranging from 1-4) so that higher scores would indicate a higher value.

Time frame: Pretest (before week 1) and posttest (after week 8)

Population: N=38 in each condition completed the pretest. N=31 in the treatment and N=35 in the control completed the posttest.

International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Version. A continuous score was calculated expressed as MET (Metabolic Equivalents) minutes per week: Total MET-min/week = (Walk METs\*min\*days) + (Mod METs\*min\*days) + Vig METs\*min\*days). A higher score means a higher level of physical activity.

Time frame: Pretest (before week 1) and posttest (after week 8)

Population: N=38 in each condition completed the pretest. N=31 in the treatment and N=35 in the control completed the posttest.

Self-report measure of social support from the Lubben Social Network Scale for family and friends with scores summed across 18 items. Possible scores range from 0-60, with higher scores indicating higher social support.

Time frame: Pretest (before week 1) and posttest (after week 8)

Population: N=38 in each condition completed the pretest. N=31 in the treatment and N=35 in the control completed the posttest.

Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) asks participants' stress perception over the last month and scores were summed across the items (Possible scores range from 0 to 40 with higher scores indicating higher stress).

Time frame: Pretest (before week 1) and posttest (after week 8)

Population: N=38 in each condition completed the pretest. N=31 in the treatment and N=35 in the control completed the posttest.

Steps were automatically synced from the Fitbit for both conditions daily. Days with 500 or fewer recorded steps were coded as missing. Weekly step averages were calculated for weeks with 4 or more days not coded missing. The first two weeks of baseline steps were averaged to form the baseline step. Percent change of steps was calculated as the difference between the average weekly steps during the intervention (weeks 3-8) and baseline steps divided by baseline steps.

Time frame: Percent Change of Steps from baseline to Weeks 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8

Population: some weeks were coded as missing since not all participants recorded steps for all weeks

Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) (20 items) asks participants to report how often participants felt positive and negative feelings over the past week for weekly surveys, and over the past month for pre-test and post-test surveys. Scores were averaged across the items (Total positive and negative affect scores can range from 0-4, with a higher score indicating a higher level of positive affect or negative affect).

Time frame: Pretest (before week 1) and posttest (after week 8)

Population: N=38 in each condition completed the pretest. N=31 in the treatment and N=35 in the control completed the posttest.

Social Connectedness Scale was administered weekly during the intervention with the following subscales: relationship salience, shared understandings, knowing other's experiences, satisfaction with the contact quantity and quality, and dissatisfaction with contact quantity. Scores were averaged across items from each subscale and possible scores ranged from 1 to 7 with higher scores indicating a higher level of the subscale.

Time frame: Baseline (Average of Week 1 and 2), Weekly during the intervention from Week 3 to 8

Population: not all participants completed each weekly survey. There were missing weekly surveys for some participants on some weeks

The UCLA Loneliness Scale captures one's subjective feelings of loneliness over the past week for weekly surveys and over the past month for pretest and posttest surveys (20 items with ratings from 1 Never to 4 Often). The scores were averaged across the 20 items, with a score ranging from 1-4. A higher score indicates more loneliness.

Time frame: Pretest (before week 1) and posttest (after week 8)

Population: N=38 in each condition completed the pretest. N=31 in the treatment and N=35 in the control completed the posttest.

9 items assessed how certain participants will exercise under certain circumstances (e.g., when you are feeling under pressure or when you are away from home). Items are assessed from 1 (very sure) to 4 (not at all sure). Items were reverse coded and summed across all items with a score ranging from 9 to 36. A higher score indicates higher exercise self-efficacy.

Time frame: Pretest (before week 1) and posttest (after week 8)

Population: N=38 in each condition completed the pretest. N=31 in the treatment and N=35 in the control completed the posttest.

Exergame Enjoyment Questionnaire (EEQ) was included in the posttest, which measured how much participants enjoyed the exergame (Fitzgerald et al., 2020). 20 items ranged from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5) were summed. Scores rannged from 20 - 100, with a higher score indicating more exergame enjoyment.

Time frame: Posttest (after week 8)

Population: N=31 in the treatment and N=35 in the control completed the posttest.

Items are assessed from 1 (disagree strongly) to 7 (agree strongly) summed across all items, ranging from 5-35. A higher score indicates a higher satisfaction with life.

Time frame: Pretest (before week 1) and posttest (after week 8)

Population: N=38 in each condition completed the pretest. N=31 in the treatment and N=35 in the control completed the posttest.

items were used to assess sense of control. For example: There is little I can do to change many of the important things in my life. Items are assessed from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree) and reverse coded. A sum across all items was calculated ranging from 6-42. A higher score indicates a higher sense of control.

Time frame: Pretest (before week 1) and posttest (after week 8)

Population: N=38 in each condition completed the pretest. N=31 in the treatment and N=35 in the control completed the posttest.