JMIR Aging · Published 2026-03-17 · DOI 10.2196/83891
Abstract BackgroundDepressive symptoms in older adults are amplified by social isolation and limited access to clinic-based mental health care. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) enables remote self-monitoring and unobtrusively captures response times (RTs), which may serve as indicators of psychomotor and cognitive functioning. ObjectiveThis study investigated the use of EMA-based RT dynamics for predicting symptom change and profiling potential responders for repeated self-monitoring in late-life depression. MethodsForty-nine community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or older (mean age 70.7, SD 5.8 years; female: 35; male: 14) with a history of major depressive disorder received case management incorporating daily EMA. Participants provided self-reports of mood, appetite, sleep quality, and general well-being. Preassessment and postassessment included the 15-item Short Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Revised (CESD-R), the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire, and the Beck Anxiety Inventory. RTs were cleaned with an asymmetric IQR rule, z ResultsOlder adults at risk for depression showed significant symptom reductions over the 4-week EMA-adjunctive care period across all 4 psychological scales (CESD-R: mean Δ 11.5; rank-biserial rdrrrrθbrθcr ConclusionsDynamic characteristics of EMA-based RTs emerged as a sensitive proxy for monitoring changes in depressive symptoms among older adults at risk. These findings highlight the potential use of RTs as digital biomarkers derived from brief, low-burden EMA self-monitoring, supporting the development of scalable and personalized mental health interventions for geriatric populations.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
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