Characterizing The Relationship Between Aspects of Psychological Well-Being and Longitudinal Measurements of Thought Characteristics Taken within Everyday Life

Abstract

Characteristics of thoughts in everyday life have historically been difficult to capture in a way that satisfies scientific scrutiny, especially over long periods of time. Nonetheless, naturalistic measures regarding how we think can have novel and influential impacts on an understanding of traits and behaviors as well as potentially fostering more effective diagnostic and intervention efforts in precision mental healthcare. This dissertation relies on data from individuals who participated in studies using the Mind Window smartphone app (developed as a part of this dissertation). It provides study examples of how these measures can be influential, to our understanding of psychological experiences, by providing multiple analyses using millions of samples that define the characteristics of everyday thought from a diverse group of over 2,200 participants. The included studies demonstrate numerous connections between traits that are related to psychological well-being and individual characteristics of thought, like Intentionality or Persistence, in addition to multidimensional trait constructs like being Worried or Conscientious. It is the intention of this dissertation to not only provide evidence for these relational connections but to facilitate and encourage continued research into how these connections can be used toward an increased understanding of psychological experiences and which targets might be influential in the goal to reduce the effects of disorder and psychological suffering.