Willingness to Participate in a Daily Smartphone Well-being Study

Comparing the Effectiveness of Non-financial Incentive to Participate in a Smartphone Experience Sampling Method Well-being Study: Protocol for a Randomised Controlled Trial

This clinical trial aims to compare the effectiveness of financial and social incentives in motivating urban populations to participate in Experience Sampling Method (ESM) wellbeing studies and explore alternative incentive preferences to increase participation.

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the comparison of two incentives to determine their effectiveness for motivating an urban population to participate in a Experience Sampling Method wellbeing studies. It will also investigate alternative incentive preferences that can motivate the population. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does the provision of a financial incentive or social incentive to neighbourhood research participants increase the willingness of individuals to participate in ESM research compared to offering no incentive?
• What are the reasons for unwillingness to participate in ESM studies?
• What are the alternative incentive preference that could increase willingness to participate in ESM studies?

Researchers will compare monetary incentive (4 x £100 prize draw qualification) to a non-monetary incentive (invitation to end of project social event to engage research findings) to how they influence willingness to participate compared to offering no incentive.

Participants will:

• Receive receive an email describing a future experience sampling study in the neighbourhood for at least two times.
• Complete a survey to indicate their positive or negative interest in the hypothetical study.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Registered on the King's Cross community smartphone application.
• App users living, working, or have previously visited King's Cross
• Given consent to receive email communications during their smartphone app sign-up.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Users of the King's Cross community smartphone app who have not given consent to receive email communication about the neighbourhood