Cited by 252Mental Health Research TopicsSurvey Methodology and NonresponseDigital Mental Health Interventions

Compliance and Retention With the Experience Sampling Method Over the Continuum of Severe Mental Disorders: Meta-Analysis and Recommendations

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Vachon, Hugo, Viechtbauer, Wolfgang, Rintala, Aki, Myin-Germeys, Inez·2019·Journal of Medical Internet Research

Abstract

Background: Despite the growing interest in the experience sampling method (ESM) as a data collection tool for mental health research, the absence of methodological guidelines related to its use has resulted in a large heterogeneity of designs. Concomitantly, the potential effects of the design on the response behavior of the participants remain largely unknown. Objective: The objective of this meta-analysis was to investigate the associations between various sample and design characteristics and the compliance and retention rates of studies using ESM in mental health research. Methods: ESM studies investigating major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and psychotic disorder were considered for inclusion. Besides the compliance and retention rates, a number of sample and design characteristics of the selected studies were collected to assess their potential relationships with the compliance and retention rates. Multilevel random/mixed effects models were used for the analyses. Results: Compliance and retention rates were lower for studies with a higher proportion of male participants (P<.001) and individuals with a psychotic disorder (P<.001). Compliance was positively associated with the use of a fixed sampling scheme (P=.02), higher incentives (P=.03), higher time intervals between successive evaluations (P=.02), and fewer evaluations per day (P=.008), while no significant associations were observed with regard to the mean age of the sample, the study duration, or other design characteristics. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that ESM studies can be carried out in mental health research, but the quality of the data collection depends upon a number of factors related to the design of ESM studies and the samples under study that need to be considered when designing such protocols.

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  • Studies that apply non-personalized experience sampling method questionnaires in clinical samples, including those from our own group, have used a similar or higher number of questions, and compliance rates suggest a manageable burden for participants.

    “Studies that apply (non-personalized) ESM questionnaires in clinical samples, including those from our own group, have used a similar or higher number of questions [32–35], and compliance rates suggest a manageable burden for participants.”

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Authors
Vachon, H., Viechtbauer, W., Rintala, A., & Myin-Germeys, I.
Affiliations
  • KU Leuven (BE)
  • Maastricht University (NL)
Corresponding author
Vachon, Hugo
Venue
Journal of Medical Internet Research
Published
2019-12-06
Volume
21
Issue
12
Pages
e14475
ISSN
1438-8871 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2993886326
Cited by
252
References
58
Citations by year
2026: 38 · 2025: 44 · 2024: 41 · 2023: 33 · 2022: 46 · 2021: 37 · 2020: 12 · 2018: 1
FWCI
3.65
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Journal of Medical Internet Research (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Lirias (KU Leuven) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Research Publications (Maastricht University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Research Publications (Maastricht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Mental Health Research Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Survey Methodology and Nonresponse
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
Keywords
ecological momentary assessment, compliance, participant retention, severe mental illness, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, psychosis, study design characteristics, sampling plans, incentives, gender differences, methodological recommendations
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Female, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Psychotic Disorders, Research Design, Young Adult

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