Braund Taylor A, Bal Debopriyo, Christensen Helen, Batterham Philip J, Vilus Bojana, Maston Kate, Larsen Mark E, Werner-Seidler Aliza, Huckvale Kit, Whitton Alexis E, Tillman Gabriel, O'Dea Bridianne
Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW Australia.
Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW Australia.
NPP Digit Psychiatry Neurosci. 2025;3(1):14. doi: 10.1038/s44277-025-00033-0. Epub 2025 Jun 18.
Typing behaviour derived from smartphone keystroke metadata is an emerging digital phenotype that may assist in diagnosing and monitoring depressive symptoms. While psychomotor agitation and slowing have been hypothesised as depressive symptoms that may influence typing behaviour, no studies have directly tested this assumption. Here, we tested whether specific depressive symptoms were associated with various keystroke features of typing behaviour in adolescents. Adolescents from an Australian cohort study ( = 895) completed a typing task on their smartphones. Common features of keystroke timing (i.e., median, dwell, interval, latency, down-down time, and up-up time) and frequency (i.e., total keystrokes, backspaces, spaces, backspace ratio, and spaces ratio) were extracted. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-Adolescent version (PHQ-A). Multiple linear regression models were used to test associations between symptom items and keystroke features. Non-linear effects and moderating effects of sex were also explored. Psychomotor symptoms (i.e., PHQ-A item 8) were not associated with keystroke timing or frequency. However, higher appetite symptoms (i.e., PHQ-A item 5) were associated with faster down-down time and a greater number of total key presses. Symptoms of anhedonia (i.e., PHA item 1) showed non-linear associations with keystroke features. The results do not support a relationship between psychomotor symptoms and typing behaviour in adolescents. However, appetite-related symptoms were associated with faster and more frequent typing. Further research into the relationship between typing behaviour and mental health in young people is warranted. Clinical Trial Registry: ACTRN12619000855123.
源自智能手机按键元数据的打字行为是一种新兴的数字表型，可能有助于诊断和监测抑郁症状。虽然心理运动性激越和迟缓被假设为可能影响打字行为的抑郁症状，但尚无研究直接验证这一假设。在此，我们测试了特定的抑郁症状是否与青少年打字行为的各种按键特征相关。来自一项澳大利亚队列研究（n = 895）的青少年在其智能手机上完成了一项打字任务。提取了按键时间（即中位数、停留时间（dwell）、间隔、潜伏期、按下 - 按下时间和抬起 - 抬起时间）和频率（即总按键数、退格键、空格、退格键比例和空格比例）的常见特征。使用患者健康问卷 - 青少年版（PHQ - A）评估抑郁症状。使用多元线性回归模型测试症状项目与按键特征之间的关联。还探讨了性别的非线性效应和调节效应。心理运动症状（即PHQ - A第8项）与按键时间或频率无关。然而，较高的食欲症状（即PHQ - A第5项）与更快的按下 - 按下时间和更多的总按键数相关。快感缺失症状（即PHA第1项）与按键特征呈非线性关联。结果不支持青少年心理运动症状与打字行为之间的关系。然而，与食欲相关的症状与更快且更频繁的打字有关。有必要对年轻人打字行为与心理健康之间的关系进行进一步研究。临床试验注册编号：ACTRN12619000855123。
