%0 Journal Article
%@ 1438-8871
%I JMIR Publications
%V 19
%N 2
%P e41
%T Smartphone-Based Self-Assessment of Stress in Healthy Adult Individuals: A Systematic Review
%A Þórarinsdóttir,Helga
%A Kessing,Lars Vedel
%A Faurholt-Jepsen,Maria
%+ Psychiatric Center Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Department O, Blegdamsvej 9, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark, 45 38647073, maria@faurholt-jepsen.dk
%K smartphone
%K emotional stress
%K healthy individuals
%K self-report
%K objective smartphone generated measures of stress
%D 2017
%7 13.02.2017
%9 Original Paper
%J J Med Internet Res
%G English
%X Background: Stress is a common experience in today’s society. Smartphone ownership is widespread, and smartphones can be used to monitor health and well-being. Smartphone-based self-assessment of stress can be done in naturalistic settings and may potentially reflect real-time stress level. Objective: The objectives of this systematic review were to evaluate (1) the use of smartphones to measure self-assessed stress in healthy adult individuals, (2) the validity of smartphone-based self-assessed stress compared with validated stress scales, and (3) the association between smartphone-based self-assessed stress and smartphone generated objective data. Methods: A systematic review of the scientific literature was reported and conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. The scientific databases PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, IEEE, and ACM were searched and supplemented by a hand search of reference lists. The databases were searched for original studies involving healthy individuals older than 18 years, measuring self-assessed stress using smartphones. Results: A total of 35 published articles comprising 1464 individuals were included for review. According to the objectives, (1) study designs were heterogeneous, and smartphone-based self-assessed stress was measured using various methods (e.g., dichotomized questions on stress, yes or no; Likert scales on stress; and questionnaires); (2) the validity of smartphone-based self-assessed stress compared with validated stress scales was investigated in 3 studies, and of these, only 1 study found a moderate statistically significant positive correlation (r=.4; P<.05); and (3) in exploratory analyses, smartphone-based self-assessed stress was found to correlate with some of the reported smartphone generated objective data, including voice features and data on activity and phone usage. Conclusions: Smartphones are being used to measure self-assessed stress in different contexts. The evidence of the validity of smartphone-based self-assessed stress is limited and should be investigated further. Smartphone generated objective data can potentially be used to monitor, predict, and reduce stress levels. 
%M 28193600
%R 10.2196/jmir.6397
%U http://www.jmir.org/2017/2/e41/
%U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6397
%U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28193600