Development of a diary for use with ambulatory monitoring of mood, activities, and physiological function

Abstract

This paper describes three studies developed and providing preliminary validation for a pocket-size, self-monitoring diary suitable for use infield research on relationships among psychological states, activities, and physiological events. In the first study, a principal-components analysis of the diary's mood and cognition scales yielded three factors—negative affect, engagement, and predictability. These showed moderate concordance across two samples. In the second study, diary self-ratings of events, moods, and cognitions were shown to be meaningfully correlated with ratings made by spouse observers, providing evidence of concurrent validity of the diary. In the third study, diary ratings made by the same subjects at home, at work, and in other locations differed from each other in expected ways, providing evidence for discriminative validity. Modifications to the diary are suggested, and possible uses and limitations of the instrument are discussed.