Newly released smartwatches are capable of monitoring the device owner's vital signs such as pulse raised and blood pressure. A new study by Northwestern University found that when it comes to depression, the device to rely on is not a wearable but the smartphone.
Prediction of the smartphone owner's feeling of depression logged an 86.5 percent accuracy. The study had 28 participants who were asked to download an app that tracks GPS data and how the phone was used for two weeks, reports The Week.
University of Michigan developed the app used in the study. It monitored changes in vocal volume and quality, indicating mood swings for bipolar people, according to Rapidnewsnetwork.
Those who were depressed logged an average daily usage of 68 minutes, while the non-depressed smartphone user spent only an average of 17 minutes per day. The latter also went to more places, while the former showed depressive symptoms such as sadness, hopelessness, sleep disturbances, lack of appetite and difficulty in concentrating.
People who are depressed avoid tasks or things they are supposed to do, especially when they are uncomfortable. Using a smartphone's app distracts them further from their tasks, explains David Mohr, study author. However, instead of talking to people, they use their smartphones to surf the web or play games.
"People are likely, when on their phones, to avoid thinking things that are troubling, painful feeling or hard relationships," Mohr adds. He said the study aimed to prevent depression. By catching the symptoms early on - such as longer time spent on smartphones than their usual use - it could help prevent the "grave consequences of undetected and untreated clinical depression by tracking phone activity," reports Apextribune.