Conclusions  Electronic self-monitoring of mood in depression appears to be a valid measure of mood in contrast to self-monitoring of mood in mania .
Background Various paper-based mood charting instruments are used in the monitoring of symptoms in bipolar disorder .
During recent years an increasing number of electronic self-monitoring tools have been developed .
The objectives of this systematic review were 1 ) to evaluate the validity of electronic self-monitoring tools as a method of evaluating mood compared to clinical rating scales for depression and mania and 2 ) to investigate the effect of electronic self-monitoring tools on clinical ly relevant outcomes in bipolar disorder .
There are yet few studies on the effect of  electronic self-monitoring of mood  in bipolar disorder .
Preliminary evidence of the reliability and validity of the prospective life-chart methodology (LCM-p).
This article describes the use of the NIMH prospect i ve life-charting methodology ( NIMH LCM-p ) in the context of a formal double-blind , clinical trial and provides preliminary evidence of its reliability and validity . Subjects included in this report were 30 out patients with bipolar I and II disorder who completed the first 2 years of a long-term maintenance study : 1 year on carbamazepine or lithium and a crossover to the other in the second year . The LCM-p follows the same types of guidelines and principles utilized in the previously described retrospective life-chart process , allowing for continuity of illness assessment prior and subsequent to study entry . In the LCM-p , daily ratings of severity of mood symptoms based on the degree of associated functional incapacity , provide a more detailed topography of manic and depressive fluctuations . Inter-rater reliability was examined by comparing the severity of daily LCM-p ratings assigned by two raters . In order to assess the validity , we correlated the LCM-p ratings with well-st and ardized scales , including Hamilton and Beck Depression Ratings , Young Mania Ratings and the Global Assessment Scale ( GAS ) . The Kappa scores for inter-rater reliability demonstrated significant and satisfactory strength of agreement with no fall off over 14 days prior to the rating interview . Strong correlations were found : ( 1 ) between the LCM-p average severity for depression rating and the mean Hamilton Depression Rating ( r = 0.86 , p < .001 ) , and the Beck Depression Inventory ( r = 0.73 , p < .001 ) ; 2 ) between the LCM-p average severity for mania rating and the Young Mania Rating Scale ( r = 0.61 , p < .001 ) ; and ( 3 ) between the LCM-p average severity and the GAS ( r = -0.81 , p < .001 ) . These preliminary data suggest the reliability and validity of the NIMH-LCM-p in assessing manic and depressive episode severity . It also provides a useful continuous daily measure of affective illness-related symptom fluctuations that allows for detailed prospect i ve assessment of frequency and pattern of illness , treatment response , and continuity with retrospective life chart assessment
Conclusions  Electronic self-monitoring of mood in depression appears to be a valid measure of mood in contrast to self-monitoring of mood in mania .
Background Various paper-based mood charting instruments are used in the monitoring of symptoms in bipolar disorder .
During recent years an increasing number of electronic self-monitoring tools have been developed .
The objectives of this systematic review were 1 ) to evaluate the validity of electronic self-monitoring tools as a method of evaluating mood compared to clinical rating scales for depression and mania and 2 ) to investigate the effect of electronic self-monitoring tools on clinical ly relevant outcomes in bipolar disorder .
There are yet few studies on the effect of  electronic self-monitoring of mood  in bipolar disorder .