Ecological momentary assessment for rehabilitation of chronic illness and disability.

Purpose: The main objectives of this manuscript were to provide a theoretical perspective on naturalistic delivery in rehabilitation based upon a literature review and establish a rationale for using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) for naturalistic assessment for chronic illness and disability (CID) in rehabilitation. Method: Existing literature on EMA use across CID cohorts was gathered and analyzed to form a theoretical overview of implementation of this method in research. This review summarizes study results and provides a comprehensive literature table for greater analysis. Results: EMA has been shown to optimize clinician time and reduce costs, reach greater numbers of people with disability-related needs, and reduce the need for retrospective recall through the collection of more objective data. Mixed method approaches were most commonly seen in the literature, and sampling schedules and the outcomes assessed varied widely. Conclusions: EMA is emerging as a novel modality of assessment in rehabilitation. Scientists and clinicians should consider incorporating this assessment approach as a rehabilitation tool that may more accurately assess the complex and dynamic nature of disability over the long-term through an objective and ecologically- valid data source.