title: Feasibility and validity of computerized ecological momentary assessment in schizophrenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Computerized Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMAc) techniques permit the assessment of daily life behaviors and experiences. The present investigation examined the feasibility and validity of this assessment methodology in outpatients with schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (n = 54) received a battery of standard laboratory clinical and functional outcome measures and then completed electronic questionnaires on a personal digital assistant (PDA) microcomputer 4 times per day for 1 week.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Generally good compliance (87%) with EMAc was found, and participants rated their experience with the study positively. The data collected in daily life demonstrated expected patterns across the assessment week and were significantly associated with scores from standard laboratory instruments measuring similar constructs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EMAc is a feasible and valid approach to data collection in community-dwelling people with schizophrenia, and it may provide important information that is inaccessible via standard clinical and functional outcome measures administered in the laboratory.
authors.affiliation: Psychology Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System (116B), San Diego, CA 92161, USA. egranholm@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Granholm
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loh
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Swendsen
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed