ABSTRACT
There are many papers devoted to exploring the distinctiveness and value of the experience sampling method (ESM) as a general research methodology. However, ESM may have a particular advantage in observing phenomena that occur between individuals as well as internal states and individual actions. There is an opportunity to capture interactions as they occur, reducing response bias and providing directly comparable data from two (or more) participants relating to the same window of real-life experience. The current chapter will seek to highlight this potential application, provide reflections from conducting this type of study within the mental health field, and explore participants’ experiences of this type of research. Specifically, we will outline research design considerations, equipment choices and item development, sampling procedure and study implementation. Finally, we will present feedback from participants in a recent study of dyadic relationships between people experiencing psychosis and their relatives.
