Using Digital Data to Understand College Students' Mental Health: A Clinical Review

The average duration of digital phenotyping studies in college students is 42 days, with an average enrollment of 81 participants.

• Digital phenotyping utilizes smartphones to capture real-time symptoms and behaviors related to mental illnesses.
• The most frequently collected data streams include location, physical activity, and social interactions.
• 52% of the studies also gathered smartphone survey data to assess mood, anxiety, and stress.
• The focus on sleep, activity, and social interactions aligns with key factors influencing mental health in college students.
• Variability in study methods limits the establishment of reliable targets for automated support through mobile devices.
• The findings indicate potential for using collected data to personalize mental health care for students.

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