Mobile Immediate Mood Scaler validation
A 22-item mobile Immediate Mood Scaler correlated strongly with standard PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores in 110 participants.
Source
Immediate Mood Scaler: Tracking Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety Using a Novel Mobile Mood Scale
What they did
110 adults from clinical and community sites completed the Immediate Mood Scaler (IMS) on iPads alongside PHQ-9, GAD-7, and related measures to test whether a brief in-the-moment mood scale tracks depression and anxiety severity.
What they found
IMS total scores correlated with PHQ-9 (r=.59) and GAD-7 (r=.57). Factor analyses supported briefer item sets. Authors argue momentary mobile scales can complement infrequent clinic questionnaires for mood monitoring.
The limits
What it doesn't show
Cross-sectional correlations do not prove the IMS improves treatment outcomes. The convenience sample mixes epilepsy inpatients and psychology/community recruits, limiting generalizability to routine outpatient anxiety care.
Key terms
- Immediate Mood Scaler (IMS)
- 22-item mobile scale rating current mood-related states.
- Ecological momentary assessment
- Capturing symptoms in the moment outside the clinic.
- PHQ-9
- Standard depression severity questionnaire used as a reference.
- GAD-7
- Standard anxiety severity questionnaire used as a reference.
- Convergent validity
- Agreement between a new scale and established measures.
- Factor analysis
- Method used to identify briefer IMS item structure.
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What is the Immediate Mood Scaler?
Common questions
How many participants?
110 completed iPad assessments.
How many IMS items?
22 items rating mood constructs in the moment.
Did IMS track depression?
Yes—correlation with PHQ-9 was r=.59.
Did IMS track anxiety?
Yes—correlation with GAD-7 was r=.57.
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