Continuous Use of Digital Wellness Programs: The Role of Volitional Mechanisms

Many organizations provide digital wellness programs that deliver wellness and health support services through digital technologies. Despite their benefits for employees and organizations, users often discontinue participating early after their initial adoption. Drawing on self-regulation literature, we argue that the continued use of digital technologies in wellness programs not only depends on the experiential response to the system but also depends on the volitional processes that protect the pursuit of health goals. More specifically, the present inquiry explains that users who are confident in maintaining their health goals are more successful in the continuous use of digital wellness technologies. Furthermore, we hypothesize that self-regulatory strategies can contribute to the development of maintenance self-efficacy by allowing users to exert control over their success. These strategies can provide guidelines for developing digital wellness programs that support longer participation in digital wellness programs.