Mood disorders in everyday life: A systematic review of experience sampling and ecological momentary assessment studies

In the past two decades, the study of mood disorder patients using experience sampling methods (ESM) and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) has yielded important findings. In patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), the dynamics of their everyday mood have been associated with various aspects of their lives. To some degree similar studies have been conducted in patients with bipolar disorder (BD). In this paper we present the results of a systematic review of all ESM/EMA studies in MDD and BD to date. We focus not only on the correlates of patients' everyday mood but also on the impact on treatment, residual symptoms in remitted patients, on findings in pediatric populations, on MDD/BD specificity, and on links with neuroscience. After reviewing these six topics, we highlight the benefits of ESM/EMA for researchers, clinicians, and patients, and offer suggestions for future studies.

► ESM/EMA is increasingly used to study mood disorder patients.
► Data provide insight into patients' everyday lives and the impact of treatment.
► Pediatric populations and bipolar disorder are understudied.
► Future studies might also combine ESM/EMA with neuroscience methods.
► ESM/EMA may benefit researchers and clinicians as well as patients.