Researchers show how smartphone sensors can track everyday behaviors linked to mental health, offering early insights into anxiety, depression, and other disorders—potentially aiding clinicians with continuous real-world data.
Your smartphone could soon be more than just a device for calls and apps—it might quietly track early signs of mental health issues. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh are uncovering how the sensors in our phones can capture everyday behaviors that hint at conditions like anxiety, depression, and other disorders.
Beyond Self-Reports
Traditionally, clinicians rely on self-reported questionnaires to understand mental health. But people often forget details, misreport symptoms, or simply don’t notice subtle changes in their own behavior. Smartphone sensors—tracking activity, sleep, location, and screen use—offer a more continuous, real-world view.
“Passive sensing allows us to collect data unobtrusively while people go about their daily lives,” said Colin E. Vize, assistant professor of psychology at Pitt. “It could give clinicians a much richer picture than periodic self-assessments alone.”
Tracking Patterns Across Disorders
Past studies linked phone sensor data to specific disorders, like depression or PTSD. The new research expands that approach, looking at behaviors across multiple mental health conditions. This includes internalizing symptoms (like anxiety), detachment, disinhibition, thought disorders, and somatic symptoms, as well as a broad “p-factor”—a shared feature common to many mental health issues.
“It’s like a Venn diagram,” explained Vize. “The p-factor is where all mental health symptoms overlap—a general marker of risk.”
How It Works
Researchers analyzed data from 557 participants in the Intensive Longitudinal Investigation of Alternative Diagnostic Dimensions study (ILIADD). Sensors on the participants’ phones tracked:
- GPS: how long people stayed home and distances traveled
- Physical activity: walking, running, stationary periods
- Screen time and phone usage
- Sleep patterns
- Calls made and received
By comparing this sensor data to traditional questionnaires, researchers found correlations with both specific symptom dimensions and the overarching p-factor.
Implications for the Future
While this technology isn’t a replacement for clinicians, it could become a powerful tool to supplement care. By continuously monitoring behaviors, doctors might spot changes early or tailor interventions more effectively.
“A lot of work in this area is about enhancing, not replacing, clinical care,” said Vize. “Smartphone data could be another tool in a clinician’s toolbox, helping to guide assessments and interventions in a more precise way.”
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, represents a step forward in understanding how everyday technology can provide insight into complex mental health patterns.