New computer tool detects mental disorders in children

Researchers from the University of California School of Medicine have created a new computer-based mental health assessment tool that enables doctors to identify disorders. Anxiety And depression in children before surgery quickly and effectively.

According to the research published at the annual meeting of anesthesiologists, which was held in the US state of Pennsylvania, the research showed that more than half of the children studied using this device were suffer from anxiety, and that more than a third of these were. suffering from anxiety. Depression.

The results of the pilot study showed a high rate of these psychological disorders in this category of patients.

Researchers say that anxiety and depression can cause psychological problems, especially in children who may be under a lot of stress before undergoing surgery, which can cause these disorders worse during the surgical procedure.

The tool called K-CAT could represent a paradigm shift in the field of mental health assessment in children and adolescents. This tool is designed to provide a quick and accurate assessment of a wide range of psychological problems common in this age group, facilitating the process of diagnosing conditions and directing children to appropriate care .

In the study, the researchers tested the computer-based psychological assessment tool on children in the preparatory phase before surgeries.

This tool is used on a tablet, and allows immediate assessment of anxiety and depression issues without the need for interviews with a psychologist. The study was conducted on 65 children aged 7 to 18 who were scheduled for elective surgery at a large children’s hospital, and the assessment process took an average of 2 minutes and 13 seconds.

The results showed that 57% of the children evaluated were diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, and 34% were diagnosed with depression. Dr. Sarah Nizamuddin, co-author of the study, said that the ability to quickly assess these cases allows doctors to offer treatment options to reduce pre- and post-operative stress, improving knowledge children during surgery. She called for further studies to find out how this information can be used effectively to improve psychological care for children during surgery.

Graded questions

The tool is characterized by the speed of completion of the assessment, as the average time to answer the questions is not more than 7.56 minutes for the child and 5.03 minutes for a parent or carer. It is also characterized by its accuracy in measurement, thanks to the use of adaptive evaluation technology that ensures that the appropriate questions are selected for each person based on his previous answers.

The adaptive assessment method relies on a wide range of questions covering a wide range of skills and knowledge. The test starts with a moderately difficult question, and based on the learner’s answer, the next question is determined. If the learner answers correctly, a more difficult question will be presented, and if he answers incorrectly, an easier question will be presented. In this way, the test continues to adjust to the learner’s level, so that an accurate picture of his true level is obtained.

One of the advantages of this tool is that it is easy to use, because it can be done online, making it available at any time and from anywhere.

The tool can treat a wide range of common mental disorders in children and adolescents, including depression, anxiety, autism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. In addition, the tool is available in several languages, including Arabic and English, which expands its field of application.

According to scholars; The tool can help identify issues that require early medical intervention, which will improve the quality of life of children and adolescents.

This tool can be used in many settings, including schools, clinics and social institutions. For example, schools can use this tool to identify students who need additional psychological support, and clinics can use it to diagnose psychological disorders and direct children to appropriate treatment.