Fighting depression in children using WhatsApp

Our project aims to identify first signs of depression in children and adolescents. Because it is only with an early diagnosis that we have a chance to intervene at an early stage.

For this purpose we want to use WhatsApp: we know from research that people write "differently" when being in a depressive episode, for example they use more negative words. People also withdraw from friends and family when they feel depressed; thus, they probably communicate less using their smartphones. This altered user behaviour may also be fruitful for the recognition of a depression.

In our “What's up?” study we want to investigate whether children and youth with depression communicate "differently" via WhatsApp compared to young people who are doing well. With the results, we want to create an app as early-warning system that automatically evaluates the chats and use of WhatsApp or other instant messengers.

The best thing about it: You won't notice the app at all. Only when first signs of depression occurs, the early warning system will alert the user and suggest what is best to do now.

Our goals are:

• Early recognition of depression in adolescents
• To intervene much earlier than before in order to prevent serious course of the disease
• To create a help at the "pulse of time" and especially for children and young people
• Draw attention to depression in childhood and adolescence

Our app is designed for all children and adolescents who are vulnerable for depression. But the app could also be helpful for adults with depression.

We want to fundamentally improve the early detection of depression, especially among the weakest - children and adolescents. So we can treat faster and more efficient. This is urgently needed because:

• Depression is a "widespread disease": in the course of life, 20% of the population will suffer depression (Germany: 4-5 million people are affected each year)
• Depressive episodes are often only recognized when you are already "properly" ill; many depressive episodes could be prevented if they are just detected at an early stage.
• With every depression, the risk of getting another increases; after the third depressive episode, the risk for a relapse is already 90%.
• The majority of depression in adults has its roots in childhood; thus, if we help children, we also help adults.

With your help we can start the project successfully. This is what we will do with your support:

• Programming a smartphone application for text analysis
• Buy vouchers for participating children and young people
• Paying a research assistant for the study
• Publish study results freely accessible so that as many scientists as possible can further the idea