Effect of Incentive Amount on U.S. Adolescents’ Participation in an Accelerometer Data Collection Component of a National Survey

Abstract

Behavioral research increasingly uses accelerometers to provide objective estimates of physical activity. This study extends research on methods for collecting accelerometer data among youth by examining whether the amount of a monetary incentive affects enrollment and compliance in a mail-based accelerometer study of adolescents. We invited a subset of adolescents in a national web-based study to wear an accelerometer for seven days and return it by mail; participants received either $20 or $40 for participating. Enrollment did not significantly differ by incentive amount. However, adolescents receiving the $40 incentive had significantly higher compliance (accelerometer wear and return). This difference was largely consistent across demographic subgroups. Those in the $40 group also wore the accelerometer for more time than the $20 group on the first two days of the study. Compared to $20, a $40 incentive may promote youth completion of mail-based accelerometer studies.