November 24, 2016.
What if a machine could prevent suicide attempts? This idea is the subject of numerous research programs around the world. Recently, an American algorithm has particularly attracted the attention of the scientific community.
Fighting suicide with an algorithm
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents today. A finding that pushes many doctors and scientists to imagine all kinds of tools to diagnose these disorders as early as possible.. In Cincinnati, United States, researchers looked into the subject and devised an algorithm that would be able to discern these risky behaviors, thanks to the intonation of the voice and the choice of words used by the people studied.
To succeed in creating this tool, these researchers asked several volunteers to participate in a study. Among them, people who had attempted suicide within 24 hours, mentally ill people without morbid thoughts, and healthy people. All were subjected to a series of interviews, filmed and recorded, during which open-ended questions such as ” do you have any hope? “,” are you pissed off? », They were asked.
A method that could be used in schools
After analyzing the responses, from the tone of the voice to the words used, the machine was able to place 85% of the respondents in their group. The scientists behind the creation of this algorithm are now hopeful that their creation will be implemented.
” New technologies have not yet really found their place in the field of mental health Says John Pestian, professor at the Cincinnati Pediatric Hospital and lead author of the study. ” But our algorithm should be a game-changer. This method can easily be used in schools, homes for the homeless and associations., where early identification would reduce the number of suicide attempts “.
To read also: Suicide: when it is so bad to live!
