330.625.11
Mobile Mental Health Research: Planning and Conducting Ecological Momentary Assessment

Prerequisite:

A basic understanding of survey research and computer skills (no programming or software development skills required).

Description:

It will teach participants critical steps in conducting mobile health (mHealth) studies that use near real-time longitudinal data collection techniques in participants' everyday life, including Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), and will provide hands on experience in EMA study design.

Introduces mobile health (mHealth) approaches and methods to study human health behavior and mental health in near real-time and everyday life. Provides a brief overview of Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) studies and critical study design considerations. Gives students hands on experience setting up a small EMA study using freely available online software and smartphone apps.

Learning Objectives:

Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:

1. Explain the basic design components of Ecological Momentary Assessment studies
2. Identify common problems impacting study quality for Ecological Momentary Assessment studies
3. Plan and design their own small Ecological Momentary Assessment studies data collection projects
4. Explain concepts of Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) which involves repeated sampling of subjects' current behaviors and experiences in real time, in natural environments

Methods of Assessment:

This course is evaluated as follows:

• 25% Participation
• 75% Final Project

Instructor Consent:

No consent required

Special Comments:

The course will move to a virtual format in two one half day sessions using Zoom. Students are expected to bring a laptop computer with working WIFI/Internet access. Final project which will be due June 30, 2020.