Digital Scaffolding for Self-Regulation: Using WhatsApp Reminders to Improve Sport Self-Efficacy in University Students

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether a self-regulation strategy called Mental Contrasting with Implementation Intentions (MCII) can improve university students' confidence in participating in tennis training. The study also examines whether adding WhatsApp reminder messages makes the strategy more effective. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does using MCII help students feel more confident about joining and continuing tennis training? Do WhatsApp reminders increase the effect of MCII on sport self-efficacy? Researchers compared two groups. One group used the MCII strategy alone, while the other group used MCII together with reminder messages sent through WhatsApp. Participants were university students who were already enrolled in a tennis training program. Participants: Completed a questionnaire about their self-efficacy before the study started Took part in a four-week intervention during regular tennis training sessions Completed MCII planning exercises before training sessions Received WhatsApp reminders before sessions if assigned to the reminder group Completed the same questionnaire again after the intervention The study aims to better understand how simple digital reminders may support self-regulation and improve students' confidence to continue participating in sports.