eMoodie: An ESM Application

“eMoodie” is a developmentally-informed, experience sampling application specifically designed for research with children and adolescents using ESM or ecological momentary assessment methodologies. It was created as a research tool for the express purpose of studying emotion and socialization patterns, digital technology use, and health factors (e.g., physical activity and sleep) in young people. The app delivers both recurring surveys using notifications and standard questionnaires. It incorporates interactive feedback mechanisms using points and achievements to help engage participants. A unique feature of the app is its ability to operationalize variables of interest using unobtrusive, automatically-logged data that can be collected by the app from sensors and from usage statistics on the smartphone or tablet where it is installed. For example, data from the accelerometer can provide an index of activity beyond self-reported levels. All specifications for a research study can we programmed using a separate web-interface. Its user interface and graphics were designed to be both child-friendly and with a modern aesthetic so as to be appealing to older adolescents and young adults at the same time.