6 Benefits of Continuous Behavioral Health Measurement for Research

Mobile sensing is an objective continuous behavioral health measurement methodology used in behavioral health research. This methodology uses sensors in digital devices like smartphones to collect and measure information related to mental well-being. 

EARS, Ksana Health’s Effortless Assessment Research System, provides a convenient turnkey behavioral sensing system of continuous behavioral health measurement to behavioral health researchers.  

Continuous objective measurement through EARS provides 6 benefits to researchers:

1. Provides broader & richer data array.  

Continuous objective data collection from EARS provides greater data volume and richness than intermittent or periodic subjective data collection methods. EARS allows for remote data collection that can be easily and efficiently scaled for a large number of study participants. If subjective ecological momentary assessments are part of the study design, questions can be easily configured to be sent to the study participant in a variety of ways.

2. Provides objective quantitative measurement layer.  

The ability to collect continuous objective measurements from smartphone sensors can reveal more than self-reporting alone. This objective measurement can be provided alongside of subjective measures like participant self-reported responses.¹ Continuous behavioral health measurement through EARS opens up new behavioral health study design possibilities. 

3. Reduces participant burden. 

Data collected through continuous objective measurement with EARS is passive and automatic. Study participants use their smartphone as they normally would with minimal need for input. This lowered use burden can result in fewer study participant drop-outs.²  

4. Reduces researcher bias and participant lapses.  

Continuous behavioral health measurement through EARS is passive and remote, which reduces potential bias which may come from researcher interaction with participants and participant lapses in self-reporting. This can contribute to more accurate research results. 

5. Enhances to grant applications.  

Getting important research funded involves a variety of factors. Novel methodologies enhance research design and makes research more attractive to funders. Continuous behavioral health measurement, with its passive, objective, and remote characteristics, provides a grant application with important differentiating features that can be attractive to funding institutions. 

6. Provides years of previous field experience.  

Mobile sensing has been used in research for many years. It is made possible by digital, cloud, and sensor technologies. EARS, in particular, has over been used in over seven years of rigorous NIH-funded research.

Learn more

EARS provides benefits to behavioral health researchers that improve grant proposals, study designs, and study operations. If you are interested in EARS, please contact us to schedule a demo.  

1. Harari, G. M., Lane, N. D., Wang, R., Crosier, B. S., Campbell, A. T., & Gosling, S. D. (2016). Using Smartphones to Collect Behavioral Data in Psychological Science: Opportunities, Practical Considerations, and Challenges. Perspectives on psychological science : a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, 11(6), 838–854. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691616650285
2. Struminskaya, B., Lugtig, P., Toepoel, V., Schouten, B., Giesen, D., & Dolmans, R. (2021). Sharing Data Collected with Smartphone Sensors: Willingness, Participation, and Nonparticipation Bias. Public opinion quarterly, 85(Suppl 1), 423–462. https://doi.org/10.1093/poq/nfab025