The relation between passively collected data and PTSD: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common mental disorder. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the association between mobile sensing features and PTSD symptoms. Studies were sourced from the Database for Mobile Sensing Studies in Mental Healthcare (DAMOS), with inclus...

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Main Authors: Ningzhe Zhu, Anjali Sarawgi, Markus Bühner, Harald Baumeister, Patricia Garatva, Thomas Ehring, Yannik Terhorst
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:npj Digital Medicine
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-025-01825-6
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author Ningzhe Zhu
Anjali Sarawgi
Markus Bühner
Harald Baumeister
Patricia Garatva
Thomas Ehring
Yannik Terhorst
author_facet Ningzhe Zhu
Anjali Sarawgi
Markus Bühner
Harald Baumeister
Patricia Garatva
Thomas Ehring
Yannik Terhorst
author_sort Ningzhe Zhu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common mental disorder. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the association between mobile sensing features and PTSD symptoms. Studies were sourced from the Database for Mobile Sensing Studies in Mental Healthcare (DAMOS), with inclusion criteria requiring correlations between mobile sensing data and PTSD symptoms assessed by validated tools. Seventeen studies encompassing 1847 participants (mean age = 38.68, 63.18% female) remained after study selection. Of 18 features across sleep, mobility, activity, and social activity, only wake after sleep onset (r = 0.14, 95% CI = [0.03, 0.25]) and relative amplitude of physical activity (r = −0.10, 95% CI = [−0.17, −0.03]) were significantly associated with PTSD symptoms. Findings were consistent across PTSD measurements, populations, demographics, and sensing durations. Although mobile sensing offers unobtrusive, objective, and ecologically valid insights into PTSD, confirmatory studies and research to optimize sensor assessment are needed before clinical practice.
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spelling doaj-art-9639d7e8e5cd486584f5205b5119f2912025-08-20T03:42:00ZengNature Portfolionpj Digital Medicine2398-63522025-07-018111110.1038/s41746-025-01825-6The relation between passively collected data and PTSD: a systematic review and meta-analysisNingzhe Zhu0Anjali Sarawgi1Markus Bühner2Harald Baumeister3Patricia Garatva4Thomas Ehring5Yannik Terhorst6Department of Psychology, LMUDepartment of Psychology, LMUDepartment of Psychology, LMUDepartment of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ulm UniversityDepartment of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ulm UniversityDepartment of Psychology, LMUDepartment of Psychology, LMUAbstract Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common mental disorder. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the association between mobile sensing features and PTSD symptoms. Studies were sourced from the Database for Mobile Sensing Studies in Mental Healthcare (DAMOS), with inclusion criteria requiring correlations between mobile sensing data and PTSD symptoms assessed by validated tools. Seventeen studies encompassing 1847 participants (mean age = 38.68, 63.18% female) remained after study selection. Of 18 features across sleep, mobility, activity, and social activity, only wake after sleep onset (r = 0.14, 95% CI = [0.03, 0.25]) and relative amplitude of physical activity (r = −0.10, 95% CI = [−0.17, −0.03]) were significantly associated with PTSD symptoms. Findings were consistent across PTSD measurements, populations, demographics, and sensing durations. Although mobile sensing offers unobtrusive, objective, and ecologically valid insights into PTSD, confirmatory studies and research to optimize sensor assessment are needed before clinical practice.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-025-01825-6
spellingShingle Ningzhe Zhu
Anjali Sarawgi
Markus Bühner
Harald Baumeister
Patricia Garatva
Thomas Ehring
Yannik Terhorst
The relation between passively collected data and PTSD: a systematic review and meta-analysis
npj Digital Medicine
title The relation between passively collected data and PTSD: a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_full The relation between passively collected data and PTSD: a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_fullStr The relation between passively collected data and PTSD: a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_full_unstemmed The relation between passively collected data and PTSD: a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_short The relation between passively collected data and PTSD: a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_sort relation between passively collected data and ptsd a systematic review and meta analysis
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-025-01825-6
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