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Experience Sampling Methodology studies of depression: the state of the art

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2011

C. Telford ,
S. McCarthy-Jones ,
R. Corcoran  and
G. Rowse
C. Telford
Affiliation:
Sheffield Asperger Syndrome Service, St George's Community Health Centre, Winter Street, Sheffield S3 7ND, UK
S. McCarthy-Jones*
Affiliation:
Clinical Psychology Unit, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia
R. Corcoran
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry, University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
G. Rowse
Affiliation:
Clinical Psychology Unit, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr S. McCarthy-Jones, Clinical Psychology Unit, Sheffield University, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK. (Email: s.mccarthyjones@gmail.com)
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Abstract

Background

Experience Sampling Methodology (ESM) is ideally suited to test the predictions, and inform the development of contemporary cognitive models of depression. Yet there has been no systematic examination of ESM in depression research.

Method

A search of databases (PsychARTICLES, PsycINFO, AMED, Ovid Medline and CINAHL) was conducted to identify studies published within the last 25 years investigating major depressive disorder (MDD) using ESM.

Results

Altogether, 19 studies using ESM, or comparable methodologies, with clinically depressed individuals were identified and critically reviewed. The identified studies examined six aspects of MDD: methodological issues; positive and negative affect; cortisol secretion; antidepressant treatment; work performance; genetic risk factors.

Conclusions

Despite some methodological limitations of existing studies, ESM has made a significant contribution to our current understanding of depression by consolidating existing theories, uncovering new and clinically relevant findings and identifying questions for future research. This review concludes by introducing the possibility of using ESM as an intervention tool in clinical practice and proposing that ESM could be useful for furthering knowledge of the causes of MDD.

Keywords

Depressiondepressive disorderecological momentary methodologyexperience sampling methodology
Type
Review Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 42 , Issue 6 , June 2012 , pp. 1119 - 1129
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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