Intensive Longitudinal Data Collection Using Microinteraction Ecological Momentary Assessment: Pilot and Preliminary...

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Behavioral Science
• Mobile Health

Background:

• Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) traditionally uses mobile technology for in situ self-report, but can cause participant burden due to frequent prompts.
• A need exists for less burdensome methods to collect comprehensive in situ self-report data on behaviors and states.
• Microinteraction EMA (μEMA) utilizes smartwatches for single-tap, cognitively simple questions, reducing burden while enabling in situ data collection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the μEMA protocol in the Temporal Influences on Movement & Exercise (TIME) Study.
• To detail the μEMA app interface for smartwatch data collection.
• To report on participant feedback, protocol adjustments, and preliminary results from the TIME Study.

Main Methods:

• The TIME Study enrolled 246 participants, collecting data via passive sensing and intensive EMA.
• μEMA questions assessed momentary states like physical activity, sedentary behavior, and affect on non-EMA burst days.
• A pilot study refined the μEMA protocol and app interface before the main study.

Main Results:

• Protocol adjustments included refining question selection and smartwatch prompting based on pilot feedback.
• Sensor-triggered questions for physical activity and sedentary behavior were added.
• In the main study (as of June 2021), 81 participants completed ≥6 months; 662,397 μEMA questions yielded a 67.6% compliance rate.

Conclusions:

• The TIME Study demonstrates the feasibility of using μEMA for sustainable, temporally dense, longitudinal self-report data collection.
• μEMA shows potential for understanding individual-level behaviors and states.
• This approach may support future interventions requiring detailed within-day self-report data.