Ecological Momentary Assessment and Intervention in physical activity and well-being: Affective reactions, social-cognitive factors, and behaviors as determinants of physical activity and exercise

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) allows potentially timely examination of relationships among variables such as affect, cognition, and physical activity or sedentary behavior in their natural environments. EMA or ambulatory assessment is achieved by use of step monitors, accelerometers, global positioning systems, smartphones, and other portable devices and has been utilized in a number of populations and behavior or health conditions. We encourage submissions of studies (original articles, reviews, brief reports) using ecological momentary assessment to examine psychological (i.e., social-cognitive, emotional, or affective) precipitators, events, or reactions to physical activity/exercise or inactivity/sedentariness. Of particular interest are ecological studies that utilize EMA to investigate influences on physical activity or sedentariness. Emotional and perceptual responses and triggers (e.g., positive and negative affect, fatigue) are believed to play important causal or bidirectional roles in the support of physical activity and related habits. Social contexts and social-cognitive variables and psychological states (such as playing with friends, self-efficacy or outcome expectancies, depression) may trigger or reflect activity behavior. Ecological Momentary Intervention (EMI) studies (Rofey, Hull, Phillips, Vogt, Silk, & Dahl, 2010) that use ambulatory delivery via electronic or other devices to affect subsequent cognitions, affect, and physical activity behavior are also welcome. Studies that examine whether ambulatory monitoring of physical activity enhances or undermines long-term exercise or physical activity would be of interest in this call.

References
Rofey DL, Hull EE, Phillips J, Vogt K, Silk JS, Dahl RE. Utilizing Ecological Momentary Assessment in pediatric obesity to quantify behavior, emotion, and sleep. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2010 Jun;18(6):1270-2.