Using experience sampling methods/ecological momentary assessment (ESM/EMA) in clinical assessment and clinical research: introduction to the special section.
This article introduces the special section on experience sampling methods and ecological momentary assessment in clinical assessment. We review the conceptual basis for experience sampling methods (ESM; Csikszentmihalyi & Larson, 1987) and ecological momentary assessment (EMA; Stone & Shiffman, 1994). Next, we highlight several advantageous features of ESM/EMA as applied to psychological assessment and clinical research. We provide a brief overview of the articles in this special section, each of which focuses on 1 of the following major classes of psychological disorders: mood disorders and mood dysregulation (Ebner-Priemer & Trull, 2009), anxiety disorders (Alpers, 2009), substance use disorders (Shiffman, 2009), and psychosis (Oorschot, Kwapil, Delespaul, & Myin-Germeys, 2009). Finally, we discuss prospects, future challenges, and limitations of ESM/EMA.
Trull
Timothy J
TJ
Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211, USA. TrullT@missouri.edu
Ebner-Priemer
Ulrich W
UW
D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000379:methods*; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012931:Social Environment; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D013689:Telephone; D014956:Writing