Exploring Mood Profile Clusters Across Physical Activity Level, Gender and Age in a Finnish Population.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Mental Health Assessment
• Cultural Psychology

Background:

• Mood profiling is a key strategy for assessing mental health risks.
• Distinct mood profile clusters have been identified across various cultures.
• The Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS) is a validated tool for mood assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate six previously identified mood profile clusters in a Finnish population.
• To examine the prevalence of these mood profiles across different demographic groups (gender, physical activity, age).
• To assess the utility of the Finnish Mood Scale (FIMS) in identifying mental health risks.

Main Methods:

• A seeded k-means cluster analysis was used to identify mood profiles.
• Discriminant function analysis confirmed cluster validity.
• Chi-squared analyses examined differences in cluster prevalence across demographic groups.

Main Results:

• Six hypothesized mood profiles were identified in the Finnish sample.
• Gender differences emerged: males favored the 'iceberg' profile (positive mental health), while females were overrepresented in 'inverse Everest' and 'shark fin' profiles (mental health risks).
• Physical activity and age influenced profile distribution, with older adults and exercisers more likely in the 'iceberg' profile.

Conclusions:

• The Finnish Mood Scale (FIMS) demonstrates potential for identifying individuals at elevated risk for mental health issues in Finland.
• Mood profile distribution varies significantly by gender, physical activity level, and age.
• This research contributes to understanding cultural variations in mood profiles and their association with mental health outcomes.