  Home confinement, a situation experienced by individuals for reasons ranging
from medical quarantines, rehabilitation needs, disability accommodations, and
remote working, is a common yet impactful aspect of modern life. While
essential in various scenarios, confinement within the home environment can
profoundly influence psychological well-being and digital device usage. In this
study, we delve into these effects, utilising the COVID-19 lockdown as a
special case study to draw insights extending to various homebound situations.
We conducted an in-situ study with 32 participants living in states affected by
COVID-19 lockdowns for three weeks and analysed their emotions, well-being,
social roles, and mobile usage behaviours. We extracted user activity from app
usage records in an unsupervised manner, and experimental results revealed that
app usage behaviours are effective indicators of emotional well-being in
confined environments. Our research has great potential for developing
supportive strategies and remote programs, not only for people facing similar
medical isolation situations, but also for individuals in long-term home
confinement, such as those with chronic illnesses, recovering from surgery, or
adapting to permanent remote work arrangements.
