Affiliations: University of Hartford, West Hartford, CT 06117,
USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Melissa Monsey, 26 Union St. Apt.
303, Vernon, CT 06066, USA. Tel.: +1 860 872 4373; E-mail: monsey@hartford.edu
Abstract: In order for a repetitive strain injury (RSI) prevention program to
be effective, it is important to implement strategies to maintain a client's
compliance with the program. This quantitative study explored the effectiveness
of computer reminder software in increasing compliance with a stretching
program designed to prevent RSI associated with prolonged computer use. Data
were collected from a convenience sample of 26 participants who were instructed
in a preventative stretching program and assigned to either a treatment group
with the computer reminder software, or a control group without the software.
To measure compliance, all participants recorded the number of times per day
they stretched. Although a statistically significant difference was not found
in the mean number of stretch breaks taken by the two groups (p = 0.09),
further analysis suggested a type II error may have occurred. The effect size,
d, revealed a large effect suggesting that the computer software had an impact
on the frequency of stretch breaks, with the mean number of breaks per hour of
work greater for the treatment group. Results strongly suggest that further
research is warranted in this area.
