Measuring caregiver stress using smartphone surveys

Exploring the possibility of using a smartphone app to measure family caregiver mood and stress

This study aims to investigate the feasibility of using smartphone technology to assess family caregiver wellbeing. The Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) method is an alternative to traditional questionnaires, which can be lengthy and are only completed intermittently. This means that changes in mood and stress levels, and the reason for this, may not always be captured. 

EMA is a way of asking people brief and repeated questions about their wellbeing and experiences. Questions are sent to a smart device such as a phone or tablet. The questions are designed to be answered quickly and at the time they are received, to gain an understanding of family carer wellbeing over time. The researchers would like to understand if EMA is easy and convenient to use, and if it could be a practical and useful method for tracking caregiver stress. The researchers hope this could improve future support services for family caregivers.