Smartphones

Smartphone Sensors Can Detect Mental Health & Depression

Depression is an infliction that plagues millions. An estimated 16 million adult Americans suffer from a severe episode of depression each year.

Now, when it comes to the clinical world there is a wide range of diagnoses. From Bi-Polar disorder to mild bouts of depression and everything in between.

When it comes to being diagnosed, nothing beats a professional. Still, whether technology (like iPhones or Android smartphones) can help detect mental health problems is an interesting prospect. And the latest research seems to make a reasonable case.

Can a Smartphone Detect Depression?

It’s an odd question to ask. We’ve heard about smartphone apps that can monitor sleep activity and exercise – specifically, how many “steps you take” and how many minutes of REM sleep you get in a given night.

But how can a smartphone detect potential mental health issues? It largely comes down to mobile phone usage.

Typical smartphone apps to monitor mental health are more like feedback tools, advice apps, or resource information. For example:

  • Operation Reach Out helps veterans who are dealing with depression by providing links to support hotlines and videos that provide tips.
  • MoodKit is an app that contains a thought tracker and over 200 emotional improvement activities.
  • Daylio is a little more advanced in that it is a “micro-diary” that helps you track your mood without having to journal your feelings. Just select icons throughout the day and it will record your mental health patterns.

And there are many others.

Now, these mainstream applications have many limitations. They can’t conclusively detect serious mental health problems.

Monitoring Mental Health With Smartphones

A couple years back a study by the Journal of Medical Internet Research published a compelling study. In short, the research concluded that data pulled from smartphone sensors can in fact detect depression.

How?

Smartphone Sensors DepressionIt was a fascinating study, as it didn’t just track typical phone usage data. It combined technology usage with non-technological behavior by using GPS and usage sensors.

Here’s how it played out:

  • 28 participants with an average age of 30 were monitored over a two-week period.
  • The study started with a questionnaire that measured levels of depression. About half had signs of depression, while the other half suffered from mild to severe depression.
  • The study coupled 12 variables (including GPS and phone usage data) with a sophisticated algorithm that correlated with the participants’ initial questionnaire results.

In addition to smartphone monitoring, participants were questioned on their mood throughout the day. Coupled together, the study surmised, “For the first time we actually have objective behavioral markers that relate to depression.”

The study was a little limited in that phone usage wasn’t monitored on an “app-by-app” basis. Meaning, it took a broader analysis of usage by recording when and how long the participant was using their phone throughout the day. The Journal did however acknowledge that they are planning a more far-reaching study that monitors precisely what a participant is doing on their smartphone (apps, texting, email, etc.).

The Results

The lead author stated that the most significant variables were attached to how time was spent in different locations they were visiting. For instance, participants who spent most of their time in few locations revealed higher symptoms of depression.

Another important variable examined the variability of a participant’s schedule. Those with less rigid schedules (i.e. going to and fro from work at different times) tended to be more depressed.

The cellphone data results aligned with a lot of other studies on smartphone use. Excessive use of smartphones can be an indication that an individual is trying to distract and pull focus away from emotional distress, the study claimed. Moreover, depressed individuals tend to “engage less with life,” and technology often offers an escape.

Participants of the study who were considered depressed used their smartphones for nearly 70 minutes per day. This compares to the non-depressed sub-group who used their phones for only 17 minutes.

As you’d might expect, time outside the home was another factor. In essence, a higher frequency and time spent out of the home correlated to better mental health.

All in all, this was an interesting study. It went beyond the typical “studies” that are essentially questionnaires about how many minutes people spend on their smartphones. Adding in the GPS variables made the revelation much more telling.

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