Abstract
This paper evaluates the effectiveness of the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) among preadolescents and young adolescents by examining its implementation in a study of 483 5th–9th graders. Four specific methodological questions are addressed: (1) How adequate is the sampling of adolescents? (2) How adequate is the sampling of adolescents' experiences? (3) Does the method alter the phenomenon it attempts to measure? (4) How valid are the data obtained? Methodological information collected as part of the study suggests that the data obtained by the ESM accurately represents most of the experience of most of the individuals in the sample population.
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This research was carried out at Michael Reese Hospital with support from a grant to Reed Larson from the National Institute of Mental Health (MH38324).
Received Ph.D. from Committee on Human Development, University of Chicago. Research focuses on daily experience associated with health and psychopathology in adolescence and across the life span.
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Larson, R. Beeping children and adolescents: A method for studying time use and daily experience. J Youth Adolescence 18, 511–530 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02139071
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02139071