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Abstract

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 6: Issue 1, Article 6, 2025. Efforts to promote physical activity and other health-related behaviors are more effective when resource materials are understood by a wide and diverse audience. Before our lab’s previous investigations (Thomas et al., 2024), only one study seemed to use the cloze procedure to directly test the comprehension (i.e., readability) of physical activity promotion material (Cardinal & Seidler, 1995). Thus, this rapid literature review sought to (a) determine the extent the cloze procedure has been used to study physical activity promotion material comprehension in lay adults and (b) collate detail about its validity and reliability for future reference by health promotion practitioners and researchers. A systematic search was performed of four academic databases, using “cloze procedure” as a key term (conducted February through March 2021). To be included, articles had to be peer-reviewed research, written in English, and used the cloze procedure to study health material comprehension/readability in lay adults. Eight articles were included for descriptive analysis (4 primary studies, 4 systematic reviews). One finding was that popular health literacy measures (e.g., TOFHLA) use a modified version of the cloze procedure. Good validity and reliability were shown for the original and modified cloze procedure (e.g., correlation with other direct measures like multiple-choice test scores; using a test-retest approach, Cronbach’s alpha, respectively). Only one study used the original or modified cloze procedure to study physical activity promotion material (Cardinal & Seidler, 1995). The cloze procedure is under-utilized in testing physical activity promotion material readability, which limits understanding their suitability for health promotion practice

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