Implementing Ecological Momentary Assessment in Audiological Research: Opportunities and Challenges

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Hearing Science
• Research Methodology

Background:

• Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is a powerful research tool for evaluating real-life experiences.
• Applying EMA in audiological research presents unique opportunities and challenges.
• Beginners may find EMA complex, necessitating guidance for effective implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a tutorial on conducting EMA studies in hearing care.
• To highlight important considerations for audiological EMA study design.
• To assist hearing researchers in avoiding common pitfalls and strengthening their study designs.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of study design elements: participant selection, study period representativeness, and balancing participant burden with data needs.
• Review of mobile devices, sensors for acoustic data collection, and various EMA setups (online questionnaires, proprietary apps).
• Inclusion of example questionnaire items from previous studies with references.

Main Results:

• EMA yields rich but potentially noisy datasets with unequal participant data.
• Recommendations are provided for data compliance checks (reactivity, careless responses).
• Methods for individual and group-level statistical analysis are discussed, including hearing device program comparisons.

Conclusions:

• While specific guidelines for audiological EMA are still developing, this tutorial offers practical advice.
• Careful consideration of study design, data collection, and analysis is crucial for successful EMA implementation in hearing research.
• This resource aims to improve the rigor and validity of EMA studies in the field of hearing care.