Chapter 1 - Behavioral, Affective, and Physiological Monitoring

Abstract

A tremendous amount of research has been devoted to developing methods and technologies for assessing biological, psychological, and social factors associated with psychological well-being and dysfunction. The biopsychosocial model (Engel, 1977), which has been the prevailing conceptual model of psychological disorders since its introduction in the late 1970s, suggests that psychological disorders are best understood as a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors. Thus, the ability to efficiently and reliably measure components of these three factors has long been a top priority for researchers and clinicians alike. There are well-established methods for assessing numerous components of each of these factors in research settings, but, thus far, there has been a lag in the development of methods and technologies for assessing similar biological, psychological, and social factors in applied settings. Recent technological developments are beginning to correct this imbalance, making it ever more practical and feasible to reliably and efficiently measure biological, psychological, and social factors in real world settings; and to do so in a way that integrates components and examines the interplay between them. This chapter provides an introduction to these recent technological and methodological advances with a specific focus on the assessment of enacted behavior, affective expression, and physiological activity. The chapter begins with a brief review of established laboratory-based methods, and describes recent and ongoing technological developments for collecting similar data outside of the research laboratory. The chapter closes with a discussion of how these technologies could help inform clinical practices and presents a research agenda for future technological development and implementation.