title: Feasibility and acceptability of post-hospitalization ecological momentary assessment in patients with psychotic-spectrum disorders.
abstract: Up to 50% of patients with psychotic-spectrum disorders are medication nonadherent. The use of real-time assessment via ecological momentary assessment (EMA) on mobile devices might offer important insights into adherence behaviors that cannot be measured in the clinic. However, existing EMA studies have only studied acutely ill patients during hospitalization or more stable patients in the community.
  
  
  
  Feasibility and acceptability of EMA in 65 patients with psychotic-spectrum disorders who were recently discharged from the hospital were assessed. EMA was administered for four weeks via study-provided mobile devices. Feasibility was measured by study recruitment/retention rates, patients' connectivity, and completion rates. Quantitative and qualitative acceptability data were collected.
  
  
  
  Participants completed 28-31% of offered EMA assessments. The only significant predictor of reduced EMA completion was recent cannabis use. EMA completion was maintained from weeks 1 to 3 but significantly dropped at the fourth week. Patient acceptability feedback was generally positive; negative comments related primarily to technological problems.
  
  
  
  This was the first study to use EMA in recently discharged patients with psychotic-spectrum disorders. EMA is feasible and acceptable in this population, but completion rates were lower than in more stable samples. Future research should consider limiting the assessment period, screening for substance use, and integrating assessment with intervention elements to increase EMA engagement.
authors.affiliation: Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA. Electronic address: ethan_moitra@brown.edu.
authors.forename: Ethan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moitra
authors.affiliation: Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Butler Hospital, Providence, RI 02906, USA.
authors.forename: Brandon A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Gaudiano
authors.affiliation: Butler Hospital, Providence, RI 02906, USA.
authors.forename: Carter H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 USA.
authors.forename: Dror
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ben-Zeev
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000072860:Ecological Momentary Assessment; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000639:trends*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology