Microrandomized trials: An experimental design for developing just-in-time adaptive interventions.
Open accessAbstract
OBJECTIVE: This article presents an experimental design, the microrandomized trial, developed to support optimization of just-in-time adaptive interventions (JITAIs). JITAIs are mHealth technologies that aim to deliver the right intervention components at the right times and locations to optimally support individuals' health behaviors. Microrandomized trials offer a way to optimize such interventions by enabling modeling of causal effects and time-varying effect moderation for individual intervention components within a JITAI. METHOD: The article describes the microrandomized trial design, enumerates research questions that this experimental design can help answer, and provides an overview of the data analyses that can be used to assess the causal effects of studied intervention components and investigate time-varying moderation of those effects. RESULTS: Microrandomized trials enable causal modeling of proximal effects of the randomized intervention components and assessment of time-varying moderation of those effects. CONCLUSION: Microrandomized trials can help researchers understand whether their interventions are having intended effects, when and for whom they are effective, and what factors moderate the interventions' effects, enabling creation of more effective JITAIs.
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Owing to repeated randomization, a microrandomized trial allows for the evaluation of the moderating role of contextual factors, such as current mood and time, on the proximal effects of the intervention.
“owing to repeated randomization, an MRT allows for the evaluation of the moderating role of contextual factors, such as current mood and time, on the proximal effects of the intervention [22].”
From Optimization of a Transdiagnostic Mobile Emotion Regulation Intervention for University Students: Protocol for a Microrandomized Trial (2023) · cites this paper as [22]
The micro-randomized trial is a sequential factorial design for modeling effectiveness of treatment components over time.
“The micro-randomized trial is a sequential factorial design for modeling effectiveness of treatment components over time.”
From Agile science: creating useful products for behavior change in the real world (2016) · cites this paper as [16]
The micro-randomized trial can be used to test proximal main effects of components over time, time-varying moderation, and, with variations in study design based on system identification, the development of idiographic computational models.
“It can be used to test proximal main effects of components over time, time-varying moderation [16], and with variations in study design based on strategies from system identification, the development of idiographic computational models [17, 18].”
From Agile science: creating useful products for behavior change in the real world (2016) · cites this paper as [16]
Micro-randomized trials provide a resource-efficient way to evaluate the agile science product types as data will be available about the interrelationship between modules, individuals, and context over time.
“Particularly when methods such as micro-randomized trials are used, they provide a resource-efficient way to evaluate the agile science product types as data will be available about the interrelationship between modules, individuals, and context over time [16].”
From Agile science: creating useful products for behavior change in the real world (2016) · cites this paper as [16]
A sister project headed by coauthor Klasnja is focused on developing modules that support physical activity maintenance.
“A sister project headed by coauthor Klasnja, is focused on developing modules that support physical activity maintenance [16].”
From Agile science: creating useful products for behavior change in the real world (2016) · cites this paper as [16]
Micro-randomization trials are very efficient and thus could also be used after more classic n-of-1 trials have provided enough confidence to warrant investment in the design of one.
“From a human-participants perspective, micro-randomization trials are very efficient and thus could also be used after more classic n-of-1 trials have provided enough confidence to warrant investment in the design of one [16].”
From Agile science: creating useful products for behavior change in the real world (2016) · cites this paper as [16]
Klasnja et al. proposed the microrandomized trial (MRT) as an optimization trial design for mobile-health interventions.
“Klasnja et al. proposed the microrandomized trial (MRT) (9), an optimization trial design for mobile-health interventions.”
From Which Components of a Smartphone Walking App Help Users to Reach Personalized Step Goals? Results From an Optimization Trial (2020) · cites this paper as [9]
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References 27 · Cited by 671
- Authors
- Klasnja, P., Hekler, E. B., Shiffman, S., Boruvka, A., Almirall, D., Tewari, A., & Murphy, S. A.
- Affiliations
- University of Michigan (US)
- Arizona State University (US)
- University of Pittsburgh (US)
- Venue
- Health Psychology
- Published
- 2015-12
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- Suppl
- Pages
- 1220-1228
- ISSN
- 0278-6133 (ISSN-L)
- 1930-7810
- PMC
- PMC4732571
- OpenAlex
- W2474213459
- Cited by
- 671
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2026: 90 · 2025: 72 · 2024: 70 · 2023: 52 · 2022: 92 · 2021: 57 · 2020: 89 · 2019: 52 · 2018: 46 · 2017: 31 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 27.59
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- Health Psychology (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (R01HL12544001, U54EB020404, P50-DA-010075, R03-MH-097954)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Advanced Causal Inference Techniques
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Statistical Methods in Clinical Trials
- Keywords
- just-in-time adaptive interventions, mobile health, intervention optimization, causal effects, health behavior change
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Humans, Research Design, Health Behavior, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Telemedicine, Early Medical Intervention
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