MHRC Research Seminar: Ecological Momentary Assessment as Precision Measurement for Psychosocial Interventions

Enjoy free admission, all are welcome.

* Seats are limited and will be allocated on a 'first in, first served' basis.
* Online link will be provided if the seats are full.
* Please note that NO Physiotherapy (PT) and Occupational Therapy (OT) CPD points will be offered by the research seminar.

Topic
Ecological Momentary Assessment as Precision Measurement for Psychosocial Interventions

Abstract
Behavior is difficult to measure precisely, and a change in behavior is even more difficult to measure precisely (i.e., with high resolution and reliability). In traditional randomized controlled trials, outcome assessments are obtained infrequently, and only baseline and endpoint values are often analyzed for outcome analysis. Such assessments rely heavily on retrospective reporting and averaging (i.e., “in the past 7 days…). This reliance introduces cognitive biases, such as recency and availability bias. But even if such measures are not distorted by cognitive bias, infrequent, retrospective assessments cannot provide the temporal resolution necessary to assess dynamic changes in neurobehavioral symptoms over time (i.e., within and between days) and across different contexts (home, community, and workplace). A potential solution is smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA), which provides frequent, real-time, lived-in assessments. The EMA makes it possible to reliably assess changes over time, potentially reducing the placebo response that measurement errors may cause. The EMA can also monitor the course of intervention as it unfolds, facilitating adaptations and treatment optimization based on ongoing EMA data. With the widespread use of smartphones and low-cost EMA options, EMA has become an important, precise tool for driving clinical discoveries. In this lecture, Dr Wong will share multiple NIH- and NIDILRR-funded studies and discuss potential applications of EMA for getting psychosocial interventions to precision medicine.

Speaker
Dr Alex W.K. WONG (PhD, DPhil, OT, CR)
Assistant Director
Center for Rehabilitation Outcomes Research 
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Research Associate Professor 
Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation 
Department of Medical Social Sciences 
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Biography
Dr Wong is an Assistant Director in the Center for Rehabilitation Outcomes Research at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, the only specialty hospital in the United States ranked number 1 for 34 consecutive years. He is also a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Department of Medical Social Sciences (Division of Implementation Science) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. His research focuses on the development, evaluation, and sustainable implementation of technology-based approaches in studying, assessing, and treating neurobehavioral disorders. Dr Wong is interested in developing therapeutic tools targeting longitudinal measurement of patient outcomes and timely models of treatment delivery.