title: Experience sampling and ecological momentary assessment for studying the daily lives of patients with anxiety disorders: a systematic review.
abstract: Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent. Symptoms may occur unpredictably (e.g., panic attacks) or predictably in specific situations (e.g., social phobia). Consequently, it may be difficult to assess anxiety and related constructs realistically in the laboratory or by traditional retrospective questionnaires. Experience sampling methods (ESM) and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) can deepen the understanding of the course of anxiety disorders by frequently assessing symptoms and other variables in the natural environment. We review 34 ESM/EMA studies on adult panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, as well as anxiety disorders in youth. Benefits of ESM/EMA for the study of anxiety disorders include generating insight into the temporal variability of symptoms and into the associations among daily affect, behaviors, and situational cues. Further, ESM/EMA has been successfully combined with ambulatory assessment of physiological variables and with treatment evaluations. We provide suggestions for future research, as well as for clinical applications.
authors.affiliation: Experimental Psychopathology and Psychotherapy Program, Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Laura C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Walz
authors.affiliation: Experimental Psychopathology and Psychotherapy Program, Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maaike H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Nauta
authors.affiliation: Experimental Psychopathology and Psychotherapy Program, Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands; School of Behavioral and Cognitive Neurosciences, University of Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: m.aan.het.rot@rug.nl.
authors.forename: Marije
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aan Het Rot
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Generalized anxiety disorder; Obsessive–compulsive disorder; Panic disorder; Post-traumatic stress disorder; Separation anxiety disorder; Social phobia