Urban Environment & Early Psychosis: An EMA Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Using smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment to investigate the impact of the built urban environment on mental wellbeing in early psychosis
IRAS ID
197190
Contact name
Andrea Mechelli
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King’s College London
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Living in the city can be a source of stress that results in increased risk of mental illness including psychosis. Most research on the impact of city living in people with psychosis focuses on aspects of the social urban environment, it has been suggested that the built urban environment may also play a significant role. This study will examine how individuals at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis and those with first episode psychosis (FEP) respond to the built urban environment and assess whether their response to urban stressors is a predictor of long-term clinical and functional outcome. Using a naturalistic follow-up design, data will be collected from 200 participants (n=100 CHR and n=100 FEP) via face to face structured clinical interviews and a smartphone application that is used to examine the impact of the built urban environment. This app employs ecological momentary assessment (EMA) - a technique that involves multiple sampling of participants’ current experiences and behaviours as they go about their daily life. Participants’ will attend three assessments in total, the baseline assessment will involve the completion of demographic, general health questionnaires and a structured clinical interview. Participants will then take part in the EMA component of the study for 7 days, during which the app will send 7 notifications per day requiring completion of a brief questionnaire (covering perception of their surrounding urban environment and mental wellbeing). Follow-up assessments will occur 12 and 24 months after baseline to assess clinical and functional outcome. We hope to compare the impact of different aspects of the built urban environment in people at CHR for psychosis, those with FEP and healthy controls (recruited as part of a separate ongoing study). The data could be used to compare dynamic changes in mental wellbeing taking place in these groups throughout the day.
REC name
London - City & East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/1301
Date of REC Opinion
22 Sep 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion