Computerized experience-sampling approach for realtime assessment of stress

Abstract

The incredible advancement in the ICT sector has challenged technology developers, designers, and psychologists to reflect on how to develop technologies to promote mental health. Computerized experience-sampling method appears to be a promising assessment approach to investigate the real-time fluctuation of experience in daily life in order to detect stressful events. At this purpose, we developed PsychLog (http://psychlog.com) a free open-source mobile experience sampling platform that allows psychophysiological data to be collected, aggregated, visualized and collated into reports. Results showed a good classification of relaxing and stressful events, defining the two groups with psychological analysis and verifying the discrimination with physiological measures. Within the paradigm of Positive Technology, our innovative approach offers for researchers and clinicians new effective opportunities for the assessment and treatment of the psychological stress in daily situations.

Keywords

• experience-sampling method
• pervasive computing
• psychological stress
• psychophysiology
• heart rate variability