Two babies, two bonds: Frequency and correlates of differential maternal-infant bonding in mothers of twins.

We assessed prevalence and correlates of differential maternal-infant bonding (i.e., experiencing a stronger bond with one baby vs. the other) in mothers of twins, focusing on aspects of maternal mental health, well-being, and pregnancy/birth that have been previously linked with maternal-infant bonding. Participants (N = 108 American women, 88.89% White, 82.41% non-Hispanic, aged 18-45, who gave birth to twins in the past 6-24 weeks) were recruited from postpartum support websites. Participants completed a Qualtrics survey assessing pregnancy/birth history, symptoms of depression and anxiety, sleep, stress, romantic relationship satisfaction, and postpartum bonding. Twenty-six participants (24.07%) reported a bonding discrepancy. These participants endorsed higher symptoms of depression and anxiety, lower relationship satisfaction, lower average postpartum bonding, higher general and parenting stress, and longer pregnancy (all ps > .05). Greater degree of bonding discrepancy correlated with more depression, higher parenting stress, longer pregnancy, and lower relationship satisfaction (all ps > .05). Mothers of twins may benefit from postpartum mental health support, stress management strategies, and interventions to improve bonding. Future work should assess the role of breastfeeding difficulties, delivery method, birth-related trauma, infant regulatory capacity, and temperament. Longitudinal studies will help test cause and effect and potential long-term repercussions of maternal-infant bonding discrepancies.

Evaluamos la prevalencia y factores correlacionados del apego afectivo diferencial materno­infantil (v.g. experimentar un apego más fuerte con un bebé vs. el otro) en madres de gemelos, enfocándonos en aspectos de salud mental materna, bienestar, así como el embarazo/parto que previamente han sido relacionadas con la afectividad materno­infantil. A las participantes (N = 108 mujeres estadounidenses, 88.89% blancas, 82.41% no hispanas, de 18­45 años, que dieron a luz gemelos en las pasadas 6­24 semanas) se les reclutó de los sitios de apoyo posterior al parto en la red. Las participantes completaron una encuesta Qualtrics para evaluar el historial de embarazo/parto, los síntomas de depresión y ansiedad, el sueño, el estrés, la satisfacción con la relación romántica, así como la afectividad posterior al parto. Veintiséis participantes (24.07%) reportaron discrepancia en el apego afectivo. Estas participantes confirmaron síntomas más altos de depresión y ansiedad, más baja satisfacción en la relación, más bajo promedio de apego afectivo posterior al parto, más alto estrés general y de crianza, así como un más largo embarazo (todos los ps > .05). Un mayor grado de discrepancia en el apego afectivo se relacionó con más depresión, un más alto estrés de crianza, un más largo embarazo, así como una más baja satisfacción en la relación (todos los ps > .05). Las madres de gemelos pudieran beneficiarse de un apoyo de salud mental posterior al parto, estrategias de cómo arreglárselas con el estrés e intervenciones para mejorar el apego afectivo. El trabajo futuro debe evaluar el papel de las dificultades de amamantar, el método usado para dar a luz, el trauma relacionado con el nacimiento, la capacidad regulatoria del infante y el temperamento. Estudios longitudinales ayudarán a poner a prueba la causa y el efecto las potenciales repercusiones a largo plazo de las discrepancias en el apego afectivo materno­infantil.

Nous avons évalué la prévalence et les corrélats du lien maternel­bébé différentiel (c'est­à­dire qui font l'expérience d'un lien plus fort avec un bébé par rapport à l'autre) chez les mères de jumeaux ou jumelles, en mettant l'accent sur les aspects de la santé mentale maternelle, le bien­être et la grossesse/naissance ayant précédemment été liés au lien maternel­bébé. Les participantes (N = 108 femmes américaines, 88,89% blanches, 82,41% non­latinas, âgées de 18­45 ans, ayant donné naissance à des jumeaux ou jumelles dans les 6­24 semaines précédentes) ont été recrutées à partir de sites internet de soutien postpartum. Les participantes ont rempli un questionnaire Qualtrics évaluant la grossesse/l'histoire de la naissance, les symptômes de dépression et d'anxiété, le sommeil, le stress, la satisfaction de la relation amoureuse et le lien postpartum. Vingt­six participantes (24,07%) ont fait état d'un écart du lien. Ces participantes ont fait état de plus de symptômes de dépression et d'anxiété, d'une satisfaction avec la relation plus basse, d'un lien postpartum plus bas en moyenne, d'un stress général et parental plus élevé, et d'une grossesse plus longue (tout ps >,05). Un degré plus élevé d'écart du lien a correspondu à plus de dépression, un stress de parentage plus élevé, une grossesse plus longue et une satisfaction de la relation plus basse tous ps > ,05). Les mères de jumeaux ou jumelles peut tirer profit d'un soutien en santé mentale postpartum, de stratégies de gestion du stress, et d'interventions pour améliorer le lien. Dans le futur des recherches devraient évaluer le rôle de difficultés de l'allaitement, la méthode d'accouchement, le trauma lié à la naissance, la capacité régulatoire du bébé et son tempérament. Des études longitudinales permettront de tester la cause et l'effet et les répercussions à long terme potentielle pour les écarts dans le lien maternel­bébé.

Ecological momentary assessment of postpartum outcomes in mothers of multiples: lower maternal-infant bonding, higher stress, and more disrupted sleep.

Research on mental health in mothers of multiples has neglected important outcomes like postpartum bonding and relationship satisfaction and is limited by reliance on single-administration, retrospective measures. This study fills these gaps by assessing previously unexamined variables and using ecological momentary assessment (EMA), wherein participants answer repeated, brief surveys to measure real-world, real-time outcomes. This online study recruited 221 women and compared outcomes in those who birthed multiples (n = 127, 57.47%) vs. singletons (n = 94, 42.53%). When recruited, participants were either 6-12 (n = 129, 58.37%) or 18-24 (n = 83, 37.56%) weeks postpartum. All 221 participants completed baseline measures of self-reported depression, anxiety, stress, sleep, relationship satisfaction, and maternal-infant bonding. One hundred thirty participants (58.82%) engaged in 7 days of EMA assessing self-reported momentary mood, stress, fatigue, bonding, and sleep. Data were analyzed using two-by-two ANOVAs and hierarchical linear modeling. Mothers of multiples reported more baseline parenting stress and less maternal-infant bonding than mothers of singletons (ps < .05). Mothers of multiples who were 6-12 weeks postpartum reported the lowest bonding (p = .03). Mothers of multiples also reported more momentary stress, overwhelm, nighttime awakenings, and wake time after sleep onset (ps < .05). The latter two variables positively correlated with momentary fatigue, stress, and worse mood (ps < .05). Mothers of multiples experienced worse postpartum bonding, more stress, and more interrupted sleep than mothers of singletons. This population may benefit from tailored postpartum interventions to decrease stress, increase bonding, and improve sleep.

Assessing the need for pre-mental health competencies in undergraduate education: insights from graduate faculty surveys.

Introduction: Despite the value of clinical competencies for masters- and doctoral-level practitioners as well as the tremendous variability in preparedness for graduate school and at graduation from graduate school, there are no competency standards for students pursuing mental healthcare careers prior to graduate study. This study aimed to identify potential pre-mental health competency standards for undergraduates pursuing mental healthcare careers. Methods: Faculty at masters and doctoral programs in a range of mental healthcare fields were asked to rate their expectations of entry-level competence and the perceived entry-level competence of their first-year, bachelor-level graduate students on 42 sub-competencies derived from the APA's Competency Benchmarks in Professional Psychology. Results: Faculty of both masters (N = 320) and doctoral (N = 220) programs reported high expectations of first-year graduate students for 11 competency categories (professional values/attitudes; relationships; management-administration; interdisciplinary systems; individual/cultural diversity; advocacy; scientific knowledge and methods; reflective practice, self-assessment, and self-care; ethical standards and policy; supervision, and research/evaluation) and 25 sub-competencies. Faculty in masters programs rated students as not meeting their expectations in 28 sub-competencies, while faculty in doctoral programs rated students as not meeting their expectations in 17 sub-competencies. Faculty recommended internships as well as improvement in writing, counseling skills, professional behavior, diversity, equity, and inclusion, cultural competence and humility, research methods, reading research, connecting research to practice, and education about the different mental healthcare professions. Discussion: Our findings suggest that students would benefit from intentional training in multiple pre-mental health competency areas at the undergraduate level to facilitate graduate-level training in mental healthcare and to better prepare our future clinicians.

Postpartum Mental Health Care for Mothers of Multiples: A Qualitative Study of New Mothers' Treatment Preferences.

OBJECTIVES: Despite the expanding literature on empirically supported strategies for treating perinatal mental health concerns in new mothers, no published reports have examined tailored support interventions for parents of twins or higher-order multiples. The goal of this study was to improve our understanding of the unique postpartum experiences of new mothers of multiples, gauge interest in both traditional and e-health approaches to mental health care, and discuss aspects of mental health treatment viewed to be most helpful. METHODS: Twenty-eight women who had given birth to their first set of multiples within the past year were recruited online. Participants completed self-report measures of depression, anxiety, and sleep disruption and took part in telephone focus groups. RESULTS: On average, participants had elevated depression and anxiety symptoms and notably disrupted sleep. Although some positive elements of the postpartum period were noted, most participants described this time as stressful, overwhelming, and exhausting. They identified experiences that were unexpected or unique to parenting multiples and indicated numerous desired aspects of mental health treatment. Interest in internet-delivered care was especially high. CONCLUSIONS: This study lays the groundwork for the development of a targeted psychosocial intervention to address mental health concerns among new mothers of multiples, particularly those who are already engaged and seeking support and community online. This report also suggests myriad ways in which providers can best address the needs of this population (eg, utilize providers with expertise in multiples, deliver care in the home, use e-health approaches, and normalize unique stressors and negative moods).

Perinatal Mental Health Treatment Needs, Preferences, and Barriers in Parents of Multiples.

PURPOSE: Many parents of multiples experience elevated mental health symptoms in the perinatal period. This population often presents with unique treatment needs and barriers to care; however, no tailored interventions have been developed for pregnant or postpartum mothers of multiples and/or their partners. This study involved an initial exploration of the perceived mental health treatment needs, preferences, and barriers to care in this population, as a first step toward developing such an intervention. METHODS: Participants were 241 parents of multiples who were recruited in-person and online. They completed self-report measures assessing treatment history/preferences, barriers to care, and symptoms during the perinatal period. RESULTS: Participants identified postpartum months 0 to 3 as the most difficult time. Few participants received any form of mental health treatment, although a significant percentage (approximately half) expressed interest in such treatment. Treatment interest was high for a range of clinical concerns. Participants were interested in both traditional treatment paradigms and eHealth approaches. Barriers to care were common, with the most common barrier being lack of time. CONCLUSIONS: There is a large, unmet need for mental health treatment in parents of multiples in the perinatal period, especially the early postpartum months. eHealth strategies seem particularly feasible and acceptable in this population and may help circumvent common barriers to care. Clinical recommendations and considerations in treatment development are discussed.

Momentary experiential avoidance: Within-person correlates, antecedents, and consequences and between-person moderators.

We used ecological momentary assessment to investigate momentary correlates, antecedents, and consequences of experiential avoidance (EA), and to explore whether depression and anxiety moderate these within-person relationships. Participants recorded their mood, thoughts, stress, and EA four times daily for one week. Baseline depression and anxiety were associated with EA. EA was lower when participants reported more positive mood and thoughts, and higher when participants reported more negative mood, negative thoughts, and stress. The EA-stress relationship was stronger for participants with higher depression. Lag analyses showed that negative mood, negative thoughts, and stress predicted subsequent EA. In turn, EA predicted subsequent negative mood, negative thoughts, and stress. The relationship between EA and subsequent negative thoughts was stronger for participants with higher anxiety. Participants with higher depression and anxiety had a less negative association between positive thoughts and subsequent EA. This study adds to a growing body of literature on the process of EA as it unfolds in vivo, in real-time. Findings highlight links between momentary negative internal experiences and EA (which may be especially strong for people with depression or anxiety) and suggest that certain positive subjective experiences may buffer against EA. Clinical implications and future research directions are discussed.

Affective Forecasting Bias: Liability or Protective Factor?

We examined whether affective forecasting biases prospectively predict depression and anxiety symptoms in the context of life stress. Participants (n = 72) completed- baseline measures of depression, anxiety, and mood predictions, followed by one week of ecological momentary assessments of mood. Three months later, they completed measures of depression, anxiety, and life stress. Neither positive nor negative mood prediction biases at baseline were associated with follow-up anxiety scores. Positive mood prediction biases were not associated with follow-up depression scores. However, the interaction between negative mood prediction bias and life stress predicted follow-up depression scores. Under conditions of greater life stress, stronger negative mood prediction biases predicted lower follow-up depression scores. Under conditions of positive life change, stronger negative mood prediction biases predicted higher follow-up depression scores. Negative mood prediction bias might serve as a protective or liability factor, depending on levels of stress. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed.

Valued Living and Its Relationship to Medication Adherence in Patients with Bipolar and Comorbid Substance Use Disorders.

Bipolar disorder with comorbid substance abuse is associated with high rates of treatment nonadherence. Adherence interventions developed to date have had mixed effects in this population. Valued living (i.e., the consistency between a patient's personal values and daily actions) represents a potentially useful treatment target that may improve adherence. We investigated the relationship between valued living, medication adherence, symptoms, and functioning in a sample of 39 patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder and a comorbid substance use disorder. Results showed that greater values-action consistency explained a unique amount of variance (R change = 15.2%) in medication adherence even after controlling for symptom severity, functional impairment, and other reported reasons for nonadherence. Drug use and treatment beliefs also predicted nonadherence. Findings suggest that valued living should be investigated further as a potentially malleable treatment target in future adherence intervention research.

An Open Trial of a Smartphone-assisted, Adjunctive Intervention to Improve Treatment Adherence in Bipolar Disorder.

We evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a novel, 12-week, adjunctive, smartphone-assisted intervention to improve treatment adherence in bipolar disorder. Eight participants completed 4 in-person individual therapy sessions over the course of a month, followed by 60 days of twice-daily ecological momentary intervention (EMI) sessions, with a fifth in-person session after 30 days and a sixth in-person session after 60 days. Perceived credibility of the intervention and expectancy for change were adequate at baseline, and satisfaction on completion of the intervention was very high. Participants demonstrated good adherence to the intervention overall, including excellent adherence to the in-person component and fair adherence to the smartphone-facilitated component. Qualitative feedback revealed very high satisfaction with the in-person sessions and suggested a broad range of ways in which the EMI sessions were helpful. Participants also provided suggestions for improving the intervention, which primarily related to the structure and administration of the EMI (smartphone-administered) sessions. Although this study was not designed to evaluate treatment efficacy, most key outcome variables changed in the expected directions from pretreatment to posttreatment, and several variables changed significantly over the course of the in-person sessions or during the EMI phase. These findings add to the small but growing body of literature suggesting that EMIs are feasible and acceptable for use in populations with bipolar disorder.

Demographic and clinical characteristics associated with comorbid cannabis use disorders (CUDs) in hospitalized patients with bipolar I disorder.

BACKGROUND: Published data suggest that cannabis use is associated with several negative consequences for individuals with bipolar disorder (BD), including new manic episode onset, psychosis, and functional disability. Yet much less is known about cannabis use disorders (CUDs) in this population, especially in more acutely symptomatic groups. METHODS: To evaluate correlates of CUD comorbidity in BD, a retrospective chart review was conducted for 230 adult patients with bipolar I disorder (BDI) who were admitted to a university-affiliated private psychiatric hospital. Using a computer algorithm, a hospital administrator extracted relevant demographic and clinical data from the electronic medical record for analysis. RESULTS: Thirty-six (16%) had a comorbid CUD. CUD comorbidity was significantly associated with younger age, manic/mixed episode polarity, presence of psychotic features, and comorbid nicotine dependence, alcohol use disorder (AUD), and other substance use disorders, but was associated with decreased likelihood of anxiety disorder comorbidity. With the exception of manic/mixed polarity and AUD comorbidity, results from multivariate analyses controlling for the presence of other SUDs were consistent with univariate findings. CONCLUSION: Patients with BD and comorbid CUDs appear to be a complex population with need for enhanced clinical monitoring. Given increasing public acceptance of cannabis use, and the limited availability of evidenced-based interventions targeted toward CUDs in BD, psychoeducation and other treatment development efforts appear to be warranted.

Acceptance-based Behavior Therapy for Depression With Psychosis: Results From a Pilot Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.

Acceptance-based depression and psychosis therapy (ADAPT), a mindfulness/acceptance-based behavioral activation treatment, showed clinically significant effects in the treatment of depression with psychosis in a previous open trial. The goal of the current study was to further test the feasibility of ADAPT to determine the utility of testing it in a future clinical trial, following a stage model of treatment development. Feasibility was determined by randomizing a small number of patients (N=13) with comorbid depression and psychosis to medication treatment as usual plus enhanced assessment and monitoring versus ADAPT for 4 months of outpatient treatment. Both conditions were deemed acceptable by patients. Differences in between-subjects effect sizes favored ADAPT posttreatment and were in the medium to large range for depression, psychosocial functioning, and experiential avoidance (ie, the target mechanism). Thus ADAPT shows promise for improving outcomes compared with medications alone and requires testing in a fully powered randomized trial.

Adjunctive psychosocial intervention following Hospital discharge for Patients with bipolar disorder and comorbid substance use: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

Bipolar disorder and substance use disorders are highly debilitating conditions, and especially when co-occurring, are associated with a variety of negative outcomes. Surprisingly, there is a relative lack of research on feasible and effective psychosocial treatments for individuals with comorbid bipolar and substance use disorder (BD-SUD), and a dearth of literature examining interventions designed specifically to improve outcomes such as symptoms, functioning, and treatment engagement/adherence following psychiatric hospitalization in this population. In the current paper, we report results of a pilot randomized controlled trial (n=30), comparing the recently developed Integrated Treatment Adherence Program, which includes individual and telephone sessions provided to patients and their significant others, versus Enhanced Assessment and Monitoring for those with BD-SUD. Participants who received the Integrated Treatment Adherence Program demonstrated significantly faster and greater improvements in depression, mania, functioning, and values-consistent living than participants randomized to Enhanced Assessment and Monitoring, and there was a trend for increased treatment adherence over time. Results are discussed in light of existing literature and study limitations, and suggestions for future research are proposed.

Raising multiples: mental health of mothers and fathers in early parenthood.

The rate of twin and higher-order gestation births has risen dramatically in recent decades in the United States as well as other Western countries. Although the obstetrical and neonatal risks of multiple gestation pregnancies are well-documented, much less is known regarding the mental health impact on parents of multiples during the perinatal and early parenthood period. Given that parents of multiples face greater functional demands, as well as other pressures (financial, medical) this population may be at risk for heightened distress. We conducted a systematic review of quantitative, English language studies that assessed mental health outcomes of parents of multiples during pregnancy, in the first postpartum year, and in the period of early parenthood, including depression, anxiety, stress, and related constructs. Twenty-seven articles published between 1989 and 2014 met selection criteria and were included in the review. Studies utilized a wide range of methods and outcome constructs, often making comparisons difficult. Although some studies found no differences, most investigations that compared mental health outcomes in parents of multiples versus parents of singletons found that parents of multiples experience heightened symptoms of depression, anxiety, and parenting stress. We discuss gaps in the existing body of literature on parental mental health related to multiple gestation birth and conclude by discussing the need for novel intervention strategies to meet the needs of this growing population. Parents of multiples may experience worse mental health outcomes than parents of singletons. More research is needed, and future work should explore potential treatment and support options.

Personality pathology predicts outcomes in a treatment-seeking sample with bipolar I disorder.

We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a clinical trial to explore the relationship between degree of personality disorder (PD) pathology (i.e., number of subthreshold and threshold PD symptoms) and mood and functioning outcomes in Bipolar I Disorder (BD-I). Ninety-two participants completed baseline mood and functioning assessments and then underwent 4 months of treatment for an index manic, mixed, or depressed phase acute episode. Additional assessments occurred over a 28-month follow-up period. PD pathology did not predict psychosocial functioning or manic symptoms at 4 or 28 months. However, it did predict depressive symptoms at both timepoints, as well as percent time symptomatic. Clusters A and C pathology were most strongly associated with depression. Our findings fit with the literature highlighting the negative repercussions of PD pathology on a range of outcomes in mood disorders. This study builds upon previous research, which has largely focused on major depression and which has primarily taken a categorical approach to examining PD pathology in BD.

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Mobile Intervention to Improve Treatment Adherence in Bipolar Disorder: A Pilot Study.

We evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a 2-week-long ecological momentary intervention (EMI), delivered via personal digital assistants (PDAs), to improve treatment adherence in bipolar disorder. EMIs use mobile technology to deliver treatment as clients engage in their typical daily routines, in their usual settings. Overall, participants (N = 14) stated that EMI sessions were helpful, user-friendly, and engaging, and reported satisfaction with the timing and burden of sessions, as well as the method of delivery. All participants completed the study, and all PDAs were returned undamaged. On average, participants completed 92% of EMI sessions. Although this study was not designed to assess efficacy, depression scores decreased significantly over the study period and data suggest relatively high rates of treatment adherence; missed medication was reported 3% of the time and three participants reported missing a total of six mental health appointments. Negative feedback largely involved technical and logistical issues, many of which are easily addressable. These preliminary findings add to the growing body of literature indicating that mobile-technology-assisted interventions are feasible to implement and acceptable to patients with serious mental illnesses.

Concordance between patient and family reports of family functioning in bipolar I disorder and major depressive disorder.

Despite the extensive literature on family functioning and mood disorders, less is known about concordance between patient- and family-reported family functioning. To address this question, adults with bipolar I disorder (BD; n = 92) or major depressive disorder (MDD; n = 121) and their family members (n = 135 and 201, respectively) were recruited from hospital sources. All patients and their family members completed the Family Assessment Device (Epstein, Baldwin, Bishop. J Marital Fam Ther. 9:171-180, 1983). Intraclass correlation coefficients revealed that, in contrast to the moderate degree of concordance in the MDD sample, degree of concordance between patient- and family-reported family functioning was significantly weaker in BD. Subsequent analysis revealed that this discordance was driven by the reports of the child and young adolescent family members of the patients with BD. Results highlight the importance of collateral reports in the assessment of family functioning, especially among families of patients with BD, in research and treatment.

Biases in Short-Term Mood Prediction in Individuals with Depression and Anxiety Symptoms.

We used ecological momentary assessment to explore depressive and anxious biases in within-day negative and positive mood predictions. Participants (N = 120) who were higher in depression symptoms demonstrated stronger biases (i.e., were more pessimistically biased) in the prediction of negative mood and weaker biases (i.e., were less optimistically biased) in the prediction of positive mood (b01 = .002, SE = .001, p = .031 and b01 = -.008, SE = .002, p < .001, respectively). Anxiety symptoms were not associated with short-term mood prediction biases (p's > .10). Such biases might influence daily decisions and experiences as well as impact longer-term outcomes. Limitations and future research directions are discussed.

The development of a diversity mentoring program for faculty and trainees: A program at the Brown Clinical Psychology Training Consortium.

There is a critical need for increasing the diversity representation among clinicians and researchers in academic medicine, including departments of psychiatry and psychology. Mentorship of under-represented groups has been identified as an important way to remediate diversity-related barriers in the field. This paper outlines the early development and pilot implementation of a diversity mentorship program at Brown University. In an effort to inform and guide future diversity programs, we discuss the challenges faced in creating the program, the successes experienced during the first year, and the future directions undertaken as a means for improving the program.

Biases in affective forecasting and recall in individuals with depression and anxiety symptoms.

The authors used experience sampling to investigate biases in affective forecasting and recall in individuals with varying levels of depression and anxiety symptoms. Participants who were higher in depression symptoms demonstrated stronger (more pessimistic) negative mood prediction biases, marginally stronger negative mood recall biases, and weaker (less optimistic) positive mood prediction and recall biases. Participants who were higher in anxiety symptoms demonstrated stronger negative mood prediction biases, but positive mood prediction biases that were on par with those who were lower in anxiety. Anxiety symptoms were not associated with mood recall biases. Neither depression symptoms nor anxiety symptoms were associated with bias in event prediction. Their findings fit well with the tripartite model of depression and anxiety. Results are also consistent with the conceptualization of anxiety as a "forward-looking" disorder, and with theories that emphasize the importance of pessimism and general negative information processing in depressive functioning.

Use of ecological momentary assessment in mood disorders research.

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) entails repeated, intensive sampling of respondents' current experiences while they are engaged in their typical daily routines, in their natural environments. In this article we discuss benefits of using EMA techniques in mood disorders research, provide an overview of the various specific EMA techniques that have been used with mood-disordered populations to date, and summarize the diverse range of research questions that EMA has been used to explore in this field. In addition, we evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of using EMA techniques with this population and suggest additional areas that might be fruitful to investigate, with a focus on the extension of EMA techniques into treatment research. Overall, data suggest that using EMA techniques in mood disorders research is feasible, generally acceptable, and highly promising. We conclude with a discussion of caveats, limitations, and ethical considerations.