Feasibility and acceptability of ecological momentary assessment in a fully online study of community-based adults at high risk for suicide
Abstract
= 69) completed a poststudy feedback survey to provide information on the acceptability of the study protocol. Response rates to EMA prompts (69.1%) demonstrated the feasibility of this design. Suicidal ideation was reported in 21.5% of prompts and by 86.1% of participants. Participants reported that their overall experience was positive, and that they would be willing to participate in a similar study again. Specific strengths and limitations of the study design were discussed in response to open-ended items. Finally, participants who created an alias email to ensure anonymity were less likely to report a suicide attempt (SA) history and more likely to complete the study. Overall, intensive EMA designs are feasible and acceptable when delivered online and to anonymous participants. Specific recommendations are provided for managing safety within these study designs, and for refinements in future work. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
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All reviewed studies included EMA items on suicidal ideation, and four studies (18%) also assessed the occurrence of suicide attempts via EMA.
“While all studies included EMA items on suicidal ideation, four studies (18%) also assessed the occurrence of suicide attempts via EMA (45, 80, 82, 88)”
From Don't Miss the Moment: A Systematic Review of Ecological Momentary Assessment in Suicide Research (2022) · cites this paper as [88]
Prevalence rates in two community-based samples with current self-reported ideation were comparable to the pooled prevalence rates (86-100% of participants and 20-22% of all entries indicated suicidal ideation).
“While the majority of studies recruited participants with heightened risk profiles (such as those recently discharged after a suicide attempt), prevalence rates in two community-based samples with current self-reported ideation were comparable to the pooled prevalence rates (86–100% participants and 20–22% of all entries indicated suicidal ideation (69, 88).”
From Don't Miss the Moment: A Systematic Review of Ecological Momentary Assessment in Suicide Research (2022) · cites this paper as [88]
Compliance rates were not significantly related to suicide history or current depressive symptom or suicidal ideation severity.
“Compliance rates were not significantly related to suicide history or current depressive symptom or suicidal ideation severity (65, 66, 71, 85, 88).”
From Don't Miss the Moment: A Systematic Review of Ecological Momentary Assessment in Suicide Research (2022) · cites this paper as [88]
The highest attrition rate (40%) was reported in an anonymous online study with no personal contact.
“The highest attrition rate (40%) was reported in an anonymous online study with no personal contact (88).”
From Don't Miss the Moment: A Systematic Review of Ecological Momentary Assessment in Suicide Research (2022) · cites this paper as [88]
In a community sample of 237 adults with current suicidal ideation, 3% attempted suicide during the 2-week study.
“In a community sample of 237 adults with current suicidal ideation, 3% attempted suicide during the 2-week study (88).”
From Don't Miss the Moment: A Systematic Review of Ecological Momentary Assessment in Suicide Research (2022) · cites this paper as [88]
Among 237 high-risk adults from the community, 9% reported they had experienced the EMA as occasionally distressing, emotionally taxing, and triggering bad thoughts, compared to 3% who reported a decrease in the frequency of and urge to act on suicidal thoughts due to study participation.
“Among 237 high risk adults from the community, 9% reported they had experienced the EMA as “occasionally' distressing,”' “emotionally taxing,” and, “triggering bad thoughts,” (p. 6) in comparison to 3% who reported a decrease in the frequency of and urge to act on suicidal thoughts due to study participation (88).”
From Don't Miss the Moment: A Systematic Review of Ecological Momentary Assessment in Suicide Research (2022) · cites this paper as [88]
Two reviewed studies required that each participant had an individualized safety plan in place established by their treating physician, and another study instructed participants on how to make one prior to participation.
“Two studies required that each participant had an individualized safety plans in place established by their treating physician (61, 85), and another study instructed participants on how to make one prior to participation (88).”
From Don't Miss the Moment: A Systematic Review of Ecological Momentary Assessment in Suicide Research (2022) · cites this paper as [88]
Many of the reviewed studies used monetary rewards for increasing or sustaining compliance.
“Many of the reviewed studies used monetary rewards for increasing or sustaining compliance [see e.g., (85, 88)].”
From Don't Miss the Moment: A Systematic Review of Ecological Momentary Assessment in Suicide Research (2022) · cites this paper as [88]
Feedback from participants indicates that EMA made them more reflective, introspective, and mindful of their experiences.
“feedback from participants indicates that EMA made them more reflective, introspective, and mindful of their experiences [see e.g., (88)]”
From Don't Miss the Moment: A Systematic Review of Ecological Momentary Assessment in Suicide Research (2022) · cites this paper as [88]
EMA assessments in themselves may serve a therapeutic purpose.
“EMA assessments in themselves may serve a therapeutic purpose”
From Don't Miss the Moment: A Systematic Review of Ecological Momentary Assessment in Suicide Research (2022) · cites this paper as [88]
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“and adults 32,33 after discharge from psychiatric care (either inpatient or psychiatric emergency department) as well as in a fully online sample 34 generally find relatively high rates of survey adherence that tends to drop with increased study duration.”
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“Detailed information on this study’s recruitment and enrollment processes, data quality assurance measures, and factors predicting study completion/attrition, can be found elsewhere (Rogers, 2021; Rogers et al., 2022a).”
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“VAS of suicide intent [60], suicide desire [61], suicide urges, and perceived burdensomeness [62] were pilot-tested.”
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Solidaridad y experiencias juveniles
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Robbins, A., Uran, S., & Atkinson, M. J. (2026) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-9691152/v1
Rogers, M. L., Robison, M., Tran, J. H., & Mitaj, D. (2026) · Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior · doi:10.1111/sltb.70127
“Differences in response rates across sociodemographic and clinical characteristics are reported in Rogers (2021).”
InfluentialSelf-citationGautam, K., Paudel, K., Wickersham, J. A., Bhusal, S., Sujan, M. S. H., Khati, A., Chaudhari, P. R., Devkota, N., Xu, R., Copenhaver, M. M., et al. (2026) · Journal of Mental Health · doi:10.1080/09638237.2026.2732887
Law, K. C., Rogers, A. H., Hoang, A., Evanson, A., Wright, B., & Comtois, K. A. (2026) · Internet Interventions · doi:10.1016/j.invent.2026.100995
- Authors
- Rogers, M. L.
- Corresponding author
- Rogers, Megan L.
- ORCID
- Rogers, Megan L.
- Venue
- Psychological Assessment
- Published
- 2021-12
- Volume
- 33
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 1215-1225
- ISSN
- 1040-3590 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-134X
- OpenAlex
- W3174179479
- Cited by
- 32
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 5
- FWCI
- 4.35
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Assessment (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (W81XWH-16-20003; W81XWH-16-2-0004)
- American Psychological Association
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Mental Health Research Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Keywords
- ecological momentary assessment, suicide risk, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, feasibility, acceptability, community-dwelling adults, anonymity, intensive longitudinal data
- MeSH terms
- Ecological Momentary Assessment, Adult, Feasibility Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Suicide, Attempted, Suicidal Ideation
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