Subscribe
The latest psychology and neuroscience discoveries.
My Account
  • Mental Health
  • Social Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Neuroscience
  • About
No Result
View All Result
PsyPost
PsyPost
No Result
View All Result
Home Exclusive Mental Health Anxiety

Study finds a wearable sensor can detect hidden anxiety and depression in young children

by Eric W. Dolan
March 4, 2019
in Anxiety, Mental Health
(Photo credit: fresnel6)

(Photo credit: fresnel6)

Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
Follow PsyPost on Google News

New research published in PLOS One provides evidence that a wearable sensor can be used to identify young children with internalizing disorders like anxiety and depression.

“Young children who suffer from anxiety and depression often have a lot of difficulty understanding and communicating their suffering — and for parents, it’s really difficult to read inner emotions of someone who doesn’t even understand themselves,” said study author Ellen W. McGinnis, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Vermont Medical Center.”

“Reporting issues led to young children with anxiety and depression being overlooked, so for my graduate school dissertation I wanted to help find objective feasible measures of internalizing disorders in children younger than 8 years.”

“This is also a large problem, with up to 1 in 5 children experiencing an internalizing disorder during childhood, that can lead to increased risk for serious health problems like chronic anxiety and depression, substance abuse, and suicide, later in life if left untreated,” added co-author Ryan S. McGinnis, an assistant professor at the University of Vermont.

The researchers tested a wearable motion sensor on 63 children between the ages of 3 and 8. The sensor monitored the child’s movement, and a machine learning algorithm was used to analyze their movement.

Children were led into a dimly lit room, while a research assistant built anticipation with scripted statements such as “I have something to show you” and “Let’s be quiet so it doesn’t wake up.” At the back of the room was a covered terrarium, which the facilitator quickly uncovered, then pulled out a fake snake. The children were then reassured by the facilitator and allowed to play with the snake.

The researchers found that children with internalizing disorders tended to turn away from the potential threat before the snake was revealed. The machine learning algorithm picked up on subtle variations in the way the children turned that helped distinguish between the two groups. It identified children with internalizing disorders with 81 percent accuracy.

“Feasible objective screening of child anxiety and depression in young children is possible using wearable technology and is proving to be very sensitive – meaning we can find those previously overlooked kids and connect them to the services they need,” Ellen McGinnis told PsyPost.

“Hopefully people will start to see technologies like these being deployed during their children’s pediatric well visits in the coming years,” Ryan McGinnis remarked.

But the study — like all research — includes some limitations.

“A big caveat is that, although our results are intriguing and promising, we need to replicate them in a much larger, more diverse sample. In so doing, we’d like to partner with pediatricians to ensure that the resulting technology can easily fit within the workflow of a standard pediatric well visit,” Ellen McGinnis explained.

The researchers hope to develop a battery of assessments that could be used in schools or doctors’ offices to screen children as part of their routine developmental assessments.

“This approach maximizes the chances of scaling this technology to screen all children for internalizing problems. We are also in the process of developing additional instrumented mood induction tasks to accompany the task presented in this paper. We think that the resulting assessment battery may be even better at identifying children with underlying internalizing psychopathology,” Ryan McGinnis said.

The study, “Rapid detection of internalizing diagnosis in young children enabled by wearable sensors and machine learning“, was authored by Ryan S. McGinnis, Ellen W. McGinnis, Jessica Hruschak, Nestor L. Lopez-Duran, Kate Fitzgerald, Katherine L. Rosenblum, and Maria Muzik.

TweetSendScanShareSendPin2ShareShareShareShareShare

RELATED

Stress disrupts gut and brain barriers by reducing key microbial metabolites, study finds
Infidelity

Othello syndrome: Woman’s rare stroke leads to psychotic delusions of infidelity

July 5, 2025

After suffering a rare type of stroke, a woman with no psychiatric history became convinced her husband was cheating. This case reveals how brain damage can trigger Othello syndrome, a form of delusional jealousy with potentially violent consequences.

Read moreDetails
Feminine advantage in harm perception obscures male victimization
Depression

People with depression face significantly greater social and health-related challenges

July 5, 2025

New findings reveal that depression is linked to both greater social hardship and increased frailty. People with depression were significantly more likely to report unmet basic needs and physical vulnerability, suggesting a complex relationship between social conditions and mental health.

Read moreDetails
Stress disrupts gut and brain barriers by reducing key microbial metabolites, study finds
Mental Health

Stress disrupts gut and brain barriers by reducing key microbial metabolites, study finds

July 5, 2025

Researchers have shown that acute stress can disrupt gut microbial activity, lowering protective fatty acids that maintain intestinal and brain barrier integrity. The findings offer new insight into how short-term stress affects the body’s gut-brain communication system.

Read moreDetails
These common sounds can impair your learning, according to new psychology research
Meditation

A simple breathing exercise enhances emotional control, new research suggests

July 4, 2025

Feeling overwhelmed? New research suggests just three minutes of slow-paced breathing can significantly improve your ability to manage negative emotions.

Read moreDetails
Intelligence, socioeconomic status, and gender impact ADHD diagnosis timing
ADHD

Girls are better than boys at detecting their own ADHD symptoms

July 4, 2025

A new study finds that teenage girls with ADHD may have better insight into their symptoms than boys. Researchers in Sweden discovered that girls’ self-ratings closely matched parent and clinician assessments, while boys tended to underreport their symptoms.

Read moreDetails
From fireflies to brain cells: Unraveling the complex web of synchrony in networks
Addiction

Understanding “neuronal ensembles” could revolutionize addiction treatment

July 3, 2025

The same brain system that rewards you for a delicious meal is hijacked by drugs like fentanyl. A behavioral neuroscientist explains how understanding the specific memories behind these rewards is the key to treating addiction without harming our essential survival instincts.

Read moreDetails
Shared genetic factors uncovered between ADHD and cannabis addiction
Developmental Psychology

Genetic factors may influence how well exercise buffers against childhood trauma

July 3, 2025

A new study suggests exercise can reduce the psychological toll of childhood adversity, but its benefits are not universal. Researchers found that a person’s genetic makeup, specifically a variant in the BDNF gene, can influence how effectively physical activity buffers against trauma.

Read moreDetails
How having conversations with children shapes their language and brain connectivity
Mental Health

Tips for parents in talking with your kids about your partner’s mental illness

July 3, 2025

A new CDC study reveals a stark reality: over one in four teens live with a parent struggling with mental illness. These kids are often invisible and confused. Here are seven expert tips for talking to your children with honesty and hope.

Read moreDetails

SUBSCRIBE

Go Ad-Free! Click here to subscribe to PsyPost and support independent science journalism!

STAY CONNECTED

LATEST

Othello syndrome: Woman’s rare stroke leads to psychotic delusions of infidelity

How to protect your mental health from a passive-aggressive narcissist

Dark personality traits linked to generative AI use among art students

Scientists are uncovering more and more unsettling facts about our politics

People with depression face significantly greater social and health-related challenges

Stress disrupts gut and brain barriers by reducing key microbial metabolites, study finds

New research reveals hidden biases in AI’s moral advice

7 subtle signs you are being love bombed—and how to slow things down before you get hurt

         
       
  • Contact us
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms and Conditions
[Do not sell my information]

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

Subscribe
  • My Account
  • Cognitive Science Research
  • Mental Health Research
  • Social Psychology Research
  • Drug Research
  • Relationship Research
  • About PsyPost
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy