Experience sampling research in psychopathology: opening the black box of daily life
2009/02/12 by Inez Myin‐Germeys, I. Myin-Germeys, M. Oorschot +9 · 865 citations
Neuroscience · Psychology · #Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes #Biology #Clinical psychology #Computer science #Context (archaeology) #Developmental psychology #Experience sampling method #Functional Brain Connectivity Studies #Mainstream #Mental Health Research Topics #Phenomenology (philosophy) #Psychological research #Psychology #Psychopathology #Snapshot (computer storage) #Social psychology
paper · doi:10.1017/s0033291708004947
published in Psychological Medicine 39(9), 1533-1547 (Cambridge University Press)
openalex publication_date 2009/02/12 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
Abstract
A growing body of research suggests that momentary assessment technologies that sample experiences in the context of daily life constitute a useful and productive approach in the study of behavioural phenotypes and a powerful addition to mainstream cross-sectional research paradigms. Momentary assessment strategies for psychopathology are described, together with a comprehensive review of research findings illustrating the added value of daily life research for the study of (1) phenomenology, (2) aetiology, (3) psychological models, (4) biological mechanisms, (5) treatment and (6) gene-environment interactions in psychopathology. Overall, this review shows that variability over time and dynamic patterns of reactivity to the environment are essential features of psychopathological experiences that need to be captured for a better understanding of their phenomenology and underlying mechanisms. The Experience Sampling Method (ESM) allows us to capture the film rather than a snapshot of daily life reality of patients, fuelling new research into the gene-environment-experience interplay underlying psychopathology and its treatment.
Citations
Cited by
- The Gaussian Graphical Model in Cross-Sectional and Time-Series Data
- So You Want to Do ESM? 10 Essential Topics for Implementing the Experience-Sampling Method
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- Loneliness in the Daily Lives of Young Adults: Testing A Socio–Cognitive Model
- The Effect of Different Construct Operationalizations, Study Duration, and Preprocessing Choices on Power-Based Sample Size Recommendations in Intensive Longitudinal Research
- Music Listening in Everyday Life
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- A network theory of mental disorders
- Loneliness in the Daily Lives of Adolescents
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- The Role of Mobile Phone Technology in Understanding and Preventing Suicidal Behavior
- Points in Mental Space: an Interdisciplinary Study of Imagery in Movement Creation
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