Ecological Momentary Assessment of Daily Activities in Individuals With Neurological Disorders: Scoping Review

Abstract

Background: Daily activities shape individuals' health and well-being, reflecting functioning and lived health. For people with neurological conditions, these activities are often disrupted, affecting autonomy and quality of life. Traditional assessments miss subtle, real-time fluctuations, whereas ecological momentary assessment (EMA) captures moment-to-moment activity within natural contexts, offering insight into person-environment-occupation interactions. Despite its growing use, it remains unclear how EMA protocols conceptualize daily activities and integrate person-environment-occupation dimensions in applications for neurological populations. Objective: This scoping review aims to map the existing literature on the use of EMA to capture daily activities, ranging from basic self-care to more complex activities, in individuals with neurological disorders. Methods: A scoping review was conducted to map studies using EMA to capture daily activities in adults with neurological conditions, with a specific focus on content and practical application. A total of 341 articles were identified. Results: A total of 20 studies using EMA to assess daily activities in neurological populations were included; most were observational, with 2 longitudinal studies and 2 randomized controlled trials. Daily activity questions and response formats varied, often using multiple-choice lists; only 1 study allowed open-ended responses. In addition to daily activity questions, EMA captured person (physical, affective, and cognitive), environment (physical and social), and occupation domains, as well as motivation and EMA disturbance. Protocols differed in setting, schedule, technology, and adherence, with most reporting completion rates Conclusions: EMA captures daily activities in neurological populations and demonstrates generally high adherence despite variability in study designs, questions, and technologies. The findings suggest that the phrasing of EMA items, the predominance of closed-response formats, and the narrow focus on the verb "doing" limit the depth and nuance of the data collected, often overlooking important aspects of performance, engagement, or both in daily activities.