Can Digital Phenotyping Reveal Lifestyles That Reflect Mental Well-Being? Results From a Population-Matched Sample.

Can digital phenotyping reveal lifestyles that reflect mental well-being? Using an innovative two-level latent profiling approach, we investigated how lifestyle profiles are related to mental well-being. Over two weeks, 553 adults from a German quota sample (Mage = 42.27, SD = 12.89; 44.4% female) contributed 7,635 person-days of smartphone-recorded social app use (e.g., social media, communication), mobility, physical activity, screen, ambient loudness, and brightness, along with self-reported mental well-being and Big Five personality traits. We identified eight day-level profiles and grouped participants into seven person-level profiles based on their day-type mix. A profile characterized by “lighter” phone usage paired with “heavier” physical activity reported greater positive functioning (an important aspect of mental well-being) than another profile combining extensive mobility with intensive social app use. Personality did not significantly moderate the associations between lifestyle profiles and well-being. These insights demonstrate how person-centered analyses can detect behavioral configurations associated with well-being.