Statistical Conceptualisation of Mood Instability: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Data Science

Background:

• Mood instability is a key feature in psychiatric conditions.
• Current methods for real-time mood instability calculation lack clarity.
• Experience Sampling Methodology (ESM) is increasingly used for mood data collection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review statistical methods used in ESM studies of mood instability.
• To identify and categorize the diverse statistical approaches employed.
• To provide a foundation for standardizing mood instability assessment.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of studies using ESM for mood data.
• Identification and tabulation of all statistical methods utilized.
• Analysis of method frequency and co-occurrence.

Main Results:

• 15 distinct statistical methods were identified across 229 papers, used 319 times.
• Over a third of studies (33%) employed multiple statistical methods.
• 17% of studies used different methods for specific affect dynamics.

Conclusions:

• A wide variety of statistical methods are currently used for mood instability research.
• Standardization of statistical methods is crucial for robust future research.
• Standardized methods will enhance understanding and clinical outcomes for mood difficulties.