Decoding anxiety: A scoping review of observable cues

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Mental Health
• Biomedical Engineering
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Anxiety disorders are prevalent but often misdiagnosed due to reliance on subjective self-reporting.
• Technological advancements enable the use of observable cues (physiological and behavioral) to supplement traditional diagnostic methods.
• A comprehensive synthesis of existing research on observable anxiety cues was lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify observable cues providing meaningful insight into anxiety.
• To determine methods for measuring these identified anxiety cues.

Main Methods:

• A systematic scoping review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted.
• A comprehensive search was performed across four major databases (Web of Science, MEDLINE, ERIC, IEEE).
• 33 English peer-reviewed articles published from 2012 onwards were included in the final synthesis.

Main Results:

• Various categories of observable anxiety cues were identified, including facial expressions, speech patterns, breathing, skin conductivity, heart rate, cognitive control, sleep, activity, motion, location data, and smartphone usage.
• Measurement approaches included wearable devices, smartphone usage analysis, and social media activity monitoring.
• Specific cues identified offer potential for objective anxiety assessment.

Conclusions:

• The review highlights numerous physiological and behavioral cues associated with anxiety and their measurement techniques.
• These findings can inform healthcare practitioners and guide future research and technological development in mental health.
• Further research is needed to validate findings from single-study investigations for broader clinical implementation.