
WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Kids are not as happy as we usually expect. About 20 percent of them suffer from anxiety and depression, but those internalized disorders are hard to be noticed.
A study published on Wednesday in the journal PLOS ONE described an AI-enabled tool to screen children for internalizing disorders early and accurately.
Researchers from University of Vermont and University of Michigan combined a sensor and an algorithm with the method that elicits the children's behaviors and feelings like anxiety.
The children in a dimly-lit room was told to anticipate something to look in a covered glass box, which turned out to be a fake snake. Then the researchers scored their responses, traditionally through the recorded video, but in the new study, aromatically by a wearable motion sensor and the machine learning algorithm.
The new tool identified differences between children with internalizing disorders and those without. The accuracy reached 81 percent, which was better than the standard parent questionnaire, according to the study.
The algorithm learned that children's movement before the snake was revealed was the most indicative since those with internalizing disorders tended to turn away from the potential threat.
It showed that they anticipated more anxiety, and the turning-away behavior was a negative reaction.
Just 20 seconds of data from the anticipation phase provided by the sensors and algorithm is enough to make a decision while the traditional video coding method may take several months.
It opens up possibilities of large-scale screening to identify those anxious depressed kids.
Early intervention is key because young children's brains are extremely malleable and respond well to treatment, said the paper's co-author Maria Muzik at University of Michigan. Enditem
Fire brigade in Shanghai holds group wedding
Tourists enjoy ice sculptures in Datan Town, north China
Sunset scenery of Dayan Pagoda in Xi'an
Tourists have fun at scenic spot in Nanlong Town, NW China
Harbin attracts tourists by making best use of ice in winter
In pics: FIS Alpine Ski Women's World Cup Slalom
Black-necked cranes rest at reservoir in Lhunzhub County, Lhasa
China's FAST telescope will be available to foreign scientists in April
"She power" plays indispensable role in poverty alleviation
Top 10 world news events of People's Daily in 2020
Top 10 China news events of People's Daily in 2020
Top 10 media buzzwords of 2020
Year-ender:10 major tourism stories of 2020
No interference in Venezuelan issues
Biz prepares for trade spat
Broadcasting Continent
Australia wins Chinese CEOs as US loses