Enhancing Ecological Momentary Assessment: Hardware, Software, and Implementation Strategies
This guide explores effective strategies for implementing Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) using various hardware and software options. It details key equipment choices, participant support, and successful program protocols. Emphasis is placed on usability, compliance building, and feedback mechanisms to engage participants. Key features of the proposed systems include real-time data collection, flexibility through alarms and branching questions, and troubleshooting resources. Best practices for pilot testing and participant training are also discussed to ensure effective EMA implementation.
Enhancing Ecological Momentary Assessment: Hardware, Software, and Implementation Strategies
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Presentation Transcript
Implementing EMA Methods George Haff & Mary Witzig
Implementation Strategy • Hardware/Software options • Strategies for Success • Equipment • Program/Protocol • Participant Support • Frequently Asked Questions
Options for Electronic Diary Hardware and Software • Handheld Options: • Palm • Pocket PC (“Windows Mobile” OS) • Others: Symbian, Blackberry, etc.
Options for Electronic Diary Hardware and Software • Software Options • Satellite Forms (intellisync) • Crossfire (appforge) • Palm OS SDK
Options for Electronic Diary Hardware and Software • Our Set-up • Palm Zire 71 • Satellite Forms • SF Extensions • SetKey • SFProgAlarm
Strategies for Success • Equipment • Program/Protocol • Participant Support
Strategies for Success: Equipment • Usability/User-Interface • Ease of use, intuitive • Consider your audience • Pilot test! Pilot test! Pilot test!
Strategies for Success: Protocol/Program • Build compliance into the protocol • Consider adherence when developing the protocol • Design protocol to facilitate collection • Consider participant/research assistant burden
Strategies for Success: Program/Protocol • Create a sense of accountability • Set clear expectations • Give feedback • Validation Report • Program feedback in the field
Program Feature: Windows • Discreet periods of time participants are able to record information. • Useful when collecting data concurrent with time specific events (e.g., ambulatory blood pressure every 45 mins). • Facilitates participant compliance and promotes collection of real-time data.
Strategies for Success: Program/Protocol • Guide subjects through assessments • Eliminate guess work in the field • Program Feature: Branching
Program Feature: Branching Questions • Program flexibility to follow a different line of questioning based on participant response. • Eliminates guess work in the field.
Strategies for Success: Program/Protocol • Drive the protocol • Include prompts • Handheld calendar • Program Feature: Alarms
Program Features: Alarms • Prompts participant with alarms integrated with data collection software. • Automatically displays first data collection screen.
Strategies for Success: Program/Protocol • Include Livability Functions • Allows participant to integrate data collection into life • Program Features: • Delay/suspend • Wake/sleep
Program Features: Delay/Suspend • Used in conjunction with Windows or Alarms (prompting). • Allows participant to postpone or suspend data entry. • Increases compliance and decreases participant burden by allowing flexibility.
Program Feature: Wake/Sleep • Allows participant to suspend the program for the night while collecting wake/sleep times.
Strategies for Success: Participant Support • Subject Training • Our Method: • Training – group presentation • Practice day with ‘Shakedown’ visit • Feedback visit • Practice module (???)
Strategies for Success: Participant Support • Support in the field • Research associates ‘on call’ • Handouts • Program Feature: Problem Reports
Program Feature: Problem reports • Enables participant to record a problem with the equipment. • Give participant useful feedback to trouble shoot problem or instruct to call support staff.
Success Strategy Summary • Plan carefully • Pilot test! Pilot test! Pilot test! • Set clear expectations and provide ample support for participants
Program Feature: Beginning/End of Day Questions • Separate questionnaire given at one point during the day. • Can be used to compare EMA data to recall data.
Program Feature: Sync/Resync • Enables diary device to be synchronized with other equipment (e.g., ambulatory blood pressure monitor). • ‘Resync’ option useful to troubleshoot protocol while participant is in ‘the field’.
Program Features: Event-driven entry • Used to enter the time of events not controlled by the research protocol (e.g., having a cigarette or a hot flash).
