The Experience Sampling Method: A New Way of Assessing Variability of the Emotional Dimensions of Religiosity and Spirituality in a Dutch Psychiatric Population

Religiosity and spirituality (R/S) are often regarded as being relatively stable over time. The present exploratory experience sampling method (ESM) study aims to assess the variability of three R/S parameters concerning affective representations of God and spiritual experiences in a psychiatric population. Depressed in- and outpatients self-identifying as being spiritual or religious participated, from two Dutch mental health care institutions. The twenty-eight participants rated momentary affective R/S-variables up to 10 times per day over a 6-day period when prompted by a mobile application. All three examined R/S parameters varied significantly within the day. ESM examination of R/S showed good compliance and little reactivity. This indicates that ESM offers a feasible, usable, and valid way to explore R/S in a psychiatric population.

Associations between affect and alcohol consumption in adults: an ecological momentary assessment study

Background: Consuming alcohol for coping with negative affect (NA) or enhancing positive affect (PA) may lead to risky drinking patterns. Previous research has yielded mixed findings regarding these affective drinking associations.Objectives: To examine support for the self-medication and expectancy models of alcohol use in an adult community sample, by examining reciprocal associations between alcohol consumption and NA and PA within and between persons.Methods: During seven consecutive days, 162 adults from the community (109 female) reported their affective experiences and alcohol consumption, following a signal contingent ecological momentary assessment protocol on their smartphones.Results: Within-person daily NA preceding the first drinking event was associated with increased likelihood of same-day alcohol consumption. Within-person momentary NA was associated with a decrease in the amount of next-moment alcohol consumption. Within-person momentary PA was positively associated with likelihood of next-moment alcohol consumption. Between persons, levels of daily and momentary NA and PA were not associated with any index of alcohol consumption. The intercepts and slopes of NA were not significantly different before and after alcohol consumption. The intercept of PA was higher after alcohol consumption, whereas the slope of PA decreased after alcohol consumption.Conclusion: In the current sample affective drinking was a within-person process (i.e. persons were sensitive to their varying levels of affect). Some support was found for the self-medication and expectancy models. People may drink for coping with NA, but may also be at risk for developing affective drinking patterns in response to PA.

Affective Instability and Alcohol Consumption: Ecological Momentary Assessment in an Adult Sample

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to examine associations between three measures of affective instability (total affective instability [i.e., the sum of negative and positive affective instability], negative affective instability, and positive affective instability) and the likelihood and quantity of alcohol consumption in an adult community sample, within and between subjects.

METHOD

Following an ecological momentary assessment protocol, 162 adults from the community (109 women, ages 20-50 years old, M = 36.07, SD = 9.23) reported their affect and alcohol consumption 10 times a day for 7 consecutive days on their smartphones.

RESULTS

Within subjects, total affective instability was positively associated with likelihood and quantity of alcohol consumption. Separately, negative and positive affective instability were not associated with likelihood or quantity of alcohol consumption at the within-subject level. Total, negative, and positive affective instability were associated with neither likelihood nor quantity of alcohol consumption at the between-subject level.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that consuming alcohol in response to affective instability was a within-person process, and that higher than a person's average levels of negative and positive affective instability may have a cumulative effect. Personalized interventions should identify days when affective instability is elevated and provide alternative, adaptive strategies for coping with emotional dysregulation. These interventions need to target instability in both negative and positive affect to counter their cumulative effect on alcohol consumption.

Negative affective stress reactivity: The dampening effect of snacking

The present study sets out to further elucidate the complex relationship between daily hassles, snacking, and negative affect (NA). The aim of the present study was to examine whether or not moment-to-moment energy intake from snacks moderates the association between momentary stress and NA. And, if so, can this moderating effect be replicated by using the amount of macronutrient intake (i.e., carbohydrates, fat, and protein) as moderator on the association between momentary stress and NA? Adults (N = 269), aged 20-50 years, participated in this study. Stress, NA, and snack intake were assessed 10 times a day for 7 consecutive days in daily life with an experience sampling smartphone application. Multilevel regression analyses were performed to assess the hypothesized associations. Our study revealed a dampening effect of snacking on negative affective stress reactivity. However, this dampening effect could not be replicated by the amount of macronutrient intake from snacks. On the contrary, the amount of carbohydrates has an enhancing effect on negative affective stress reactivity. In the end, our study suggests that the critical question is which mechanisms are decisive in the dampening role of snacking on stress reactivity. A multidisciplinary approach may provide a full perspective.

Affect and between-meal snacking in daily life: the moderating role of gender and age

OBJECTIVE

Affect-related energy intake from snacks remains relatively unexplored in daily life. This study examines the associations between momentary positive affect (PA) and momentary negative affect (NA) and subsequent energy intake from snacks. In addition, the moderating role of BMI, gender, age and level of education is investigated.

DESIGN

Adults (N = 269), aged 20-50, participated in this study. Demographics were assessed in an online composite questionnaire. An experience sampling smartphone application was used to map momentary NA/PA and energy intake (kilocalories) from snacks in the context of daily life.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Energy intake from moment-to-moment self-reported snacks in real-life settings.

RESULTS

A significant negative main effect of momentary NA on moment-to-moment energy intake was found. The higher the momentary NA, the lower the subsequent amount of kilocalories consumed. There was no main effect with regard to PA. Interaction analyses showed that men decreased their energy intake after experiencing NA, and increased their intake after experiencing PA. No associations were found in women. Additionally, young adults (20-30) increased their energy intake after experiencing PA. No associations were found in the other age groups.

CONCLUSION

Interventions aiming at reducing energy intake might also address PA-related snacking in young adults and men.