Does the burden of the experience sampling method undermine data quality in state body image research?

• Increasingly, the experience sampling methodology (ESM) is being used to evaluate state body image.
• There is concern that the burden of ESM may undermine data quality.
• Our findings suggest that compliance and score variability declines over testing period.
• Recommendations are made for screening and correcting reactivity in ESM designs.

Despite growing popularity of experience sampling methodology (ESM) for evaluations of state-based components of body image, there have been concerns that the frequent repeated measurement might encourage problematic responding resulting in low data quantity and/or quality. Using a sample of 105 women (mean age = 24.84), this study used multilevel modelling to investigate whether (a) there were changes in compliance or response variability across a 7-day period, and (b) whether such changes are explained by participant characteristics. Present findings suggest that demands of ESM protocol undermine quantity more so than quality of obtained data. Decline in procedural compliance across the testing period correlated with BMI and body shame, whereas reduced variability in state-based assessments did not adversely impact the strength of association between state body satisfaction ratings and other variables in the dataset. The authors make several recommendations for ensuring the quality of ESM-based data in future studies.