The challenges of implementing hybrid baselines for the interpretation of longitudinal behavioral data from individuals.

Just, Sandra Anna; Tedeschi, Enrico; Holsbø, Einar; Mikalsen, Karl Øyvind; Bongo, Lars Ailo; Homan, Philipp; Elvevåg, Brita · NPJ Digit Med · 2026

review · Level V

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Abstract

Establishing whether observed behavioral differences reflect meaningful change in an individual necessitates baselines specific to the individual and task. Automated hybrid solutions combine adaptive baselines with fixed thresholds. Applying this approach to behavioral science harbors challenges: the pronounced gap between observable measurement and underlying construct means ground truth is typically unavailable. A stepwise framework is proposed to determine and evaluate the validity of baselines for longitudinal behavioral measurements.