Daily time use among individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and unaffected controls: Results from the DiAPAson multicentric project

Zarbo et al. investigated the feasibility of using smartphone-based brief questionnaire to prompt sampling of experiences of current activities and mood in real time at eight intervals daily over a week.

“In a series of mixed-method studies, Cristina Zarbo et al. (20), Zarbo et al. (41) and Zarbo et al. (42) investigated the feasibility of using smartphone-based brief questionnaire to prompt sampling of experiences of current activities and mood in real time at eight intervals daily (between 8am to midnight) over a week.”

A number of time use studies involving community dwelling people with severe mental illness have reported imbalanced activity patterns that show limited time spent in productive activities and most time spent in sedentary or passive leisure activities, self-care and alone.

“For instance, a number of time use studies involving community dwelling people with severe mental illness have reported imbalanced activity patterns that show limited time spent in productive activities (such as work, parenting, education) and most time spent in sedentary or passive leisure activities (e.g. watching TV), self-care (e.g. eating and sleeping) and alone (17–20).”

The time use assessment methods identified in this review provide varied ways to gather information on time use patterns and influencing factors in real-life contexts including resources, supports, symptoms, medication and satisfaction.

“The time use assessment methods identified in this review provide varied ways to gather information on time use patterns and influencing factors in real-life contexts including, for example, resources, supports, symptoms, medication and satisfaction (20, 36, 37, 41).”

Their findings suggested the ESM as a useful tool for supporting people with severe mental illness to reflect on their activity engagement, and for staff to gain insights into their daily lives in community settings where regular assessment may be challenging.

“Their findings suggested the ESM as a useful tool for supporting people with severe mental illness to reflect on their activity engagement, and for staff to gain insights into their daily lives in community settings where regular assessment may be challenging.”

Spot sampling methods with multiple daily reminders (e.g. ESM) can overcome recall challenges and offer more flexibility in measuring activity duration, but issues with low adherence and accuracy of responses over an extended period (over 5-6 days), technical difficulties with devices, and potential exacerbation of positive symptoms are also reported.

“Spot sampling methods with multiple daily reminders (e.g. ESM) can overcome recall challenges and offers more flexibility in measuring activity duration (73, 74), but issues with low adherence and accuracy of responses over an extended period (over 5-6 days), technical difficulties with devices, and potential exacerbation of positive symptoms are also reported (20, 41, 42).”