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The Micro-Randomized Trial for Developing Digital Interventions: Experimental Design Considerations

Just-in-time adaptive interventions (JITAIs) are time-varying adaptive interventions that use frequent opportunities for the intervention to be adapted such as weekly, daily, or even many times a day. This high intensity of adaptation is facilitated by the ability of digital technology to continuously collect information about an individual's current context and deliver treatments adapted to this information. The micro-randomized trial (MRT) has emerged for use in informing the construction of JITAIs. MRTs operate in, and take advantage of, the rapidly time-varying digital intervention environment. MRTs can be used to address research questions about whether and under what circumstances particular components of a JITAI are effective, with the ultimate objective of developing effective and efficient components. The purpose of this article is to clarify why, when, and how to use MRTs; to highlight elements that must be considered when designing and implementing an MRT; and to discuss the possibilities this emerging optimization trial design offers for future research in the behavioral sciences, education, and other fields. We briefly review key elements of JITAIs, and then describe three case studies of MRTs, each of which highlights research questions that can be addressed using the MRT and experimental design considerations that might arise. We also discuss a variety of considerations that go into planning and designing an MRT, using the case studies as examples.