Ecological momentary assessment and beyond : the rising interest in e-mental health research

We read with interest the recent article by , which used smartphones as a means of capturing ecological momentary assessment (EMA) data in a trial of mindfulness. As the authors point out, the smartphone-based EMA measures outperformed the traditional methods (i.e. paper-and-pencil), even among older adults. This interesting paper is a clear example of the potential benefits of 'eHealth' (or 'mHealth'), which refers to the use of computerized (or mobile phone) technologies applied within the healthcare setting. In response to the potential for improving healthcare, these novel methods are increasingly adopted, and studied, in medical research.