Anxious or empowered? A cross-sectional study exploring how wearable activity trackers make their owners feel

Results suggest that using a wearable is a positive experience for users with little risk of negative psychological consequences. Whilst experiences of negative affect were uncommon, individuals low in conscientiousness or openness to experience are at greater risk of negative affect and all users may experience negative affect such as anxiety or frustration when prevented from wearing their device. Findings contribute to mounting evidence of wearables' safety and appeal as health behaviour tools and highlight the importance of examining psychological and experiential aspects of activity tracking.