Tinnitus Measured in Everyday Life: A Literature Review of Ecological Momentary Assessment Studies.

Abstract

Tinnitus, a common auditory phenomenon, often presents with considerable between-person heterogeneity and within-person fluctuations. To understand the pathophysiological mechanisms and advance patient-centred care, it is essential to recognise these variations. Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) is a (close-to) real-time data collection method that offers insights into short- and long-term fluctuations of subjective symptoms and their interaction with psychological, environmental, and physiological factors. EMA applied in tinnitus research has shown promise in capturing the nuances of tinnitus experience in naturalistic settings, minimizing recall bias inherent in traditional retrospective methods. This narrative literature review aims to provide a comprehensive up-to-date picture of EMA in tinnitus research by describing previous and current applications, summarising scientific findings, and identifying research gaps by drawing lessons from adjacent mental health fields. 28 publications were identified and assigned to six different topics based on thematic and methodological matters. We highlight contributions of EMA methodology for tinnitus research such as findings on momentary and longitudinal symptom interactions, circadian rhythms, individual differences in symptom patterns and its contributions to treatment evaluation. Emerging technologies, including machine learning, are opening new avenues for personalised tinnitus understanding and management. Despite promising advances, challenges such as data reliability, participant compliance, and integration with sensor-based passive data collection remain areas for further exploration. Drawing lessons from adjacent mental health fields, we propose future directions for EMA in tinnitus research, emphasizing the integration of multimodal data, advanced analytics, and ecological validity to enhance the understanding and management of chronic tinnitus.