Kutcher Adolescent Depression Scale for the iPhone
Posted on 04/08/2009 | 8 Comments
Recently I wrote a post on mental health in the palm of your hand - exploring how technology and iPhone applications were being used to share medical and mental health information. Following that post I contacted Dr. Harvey Castro at Deep Pocket Series to ask him about Sad Scale - a self screening Depression test and iPhone application tool. Understanding the need for a Depression scale for children, Dr. Castro worked with our team to adapt the Kutcher Adolescent Depression Scale (KADS) for use on the Sad Scale application. 
The KADS, along with the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC), are now available on the Sad Scale. These applications will give you a graph on your progress and will also allow you to email your health care provider the results of the test. The iPhone application is available now and can be downloaded for $0.99 from iTunes. We are now adapting the Kutcher Generalized Social Anxiety Disorder Scale for Adolescents (K-GSADS-A) ... stay tuned! (literally) ~ David Venn
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This is a great set of comments and rings very true.
I totally agree that scientists (just like everyone else) have their biases and foibles. After all, scientists are human beings too! But science is different than scientists.
The scientific method is the most objective frame that we have by which to evaluate and predict. Science is not about finding truth. It is only about being less wrong most of the time. The scientific method (experimental design and mathematics) gives us the ability to test what we believe. The scientific method is not used to prove something is correct, on the contrary, the scientific method is designed to prove that something is not correct! It is designed to test what is called the “null hypothesis”. It takes ideas that come out of left field (or wherever else they come from) and puts those ideas to an independent test.
t does not drive our beliefs. It does however challenge our beliefs. In that way it is self-correcting. Of course scientific inquiry and understanding lives within a wider social context. That is one of the great features of science.
But gravity is gravity, social context notwithstanding. And thus it is nasty, brutish and long. As Brecht said, (something like this) - the purpose of science is to save us from everlasting error.
By Christina Carew on May 11th
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What people are saying?
Avrum Nadigel said...
Oy ... scales. One day, when I’ve amassed enough wealth to not be concerned about public opinion, I’ll write an article or two about my experience with scales on early-psychosis team. Here’s a though….they don’t mean much, and the kids hated’em. I don’t blame them.
Comment made on August 05th, 2010
Jack Jefferson said...
Excellent idea!
Comment made on August 05th, 2010
D. Venn said...
Thanks for your comments Avrum and Jack. For us it’s about sharing mental health info with youth and technology is one of the best ways to do that.
The scales may not be an ideal adaptation, and perhaps they don’t measure much, but what they offer is a chance for young people to self-identify if they have a problem and to hopefully start that discussion with their doctor.
If they help one person, it’s worth it!
Comment made on August 05th, 2010
Avrum Nadigel said...
>>If they help one person it’s worth it!
I think it would be more realistic to support adults (parents, teachers, hockey coaches, etc) with technology that would raise awareness about mental health concerns and adolescence. And still, i wouldn’t use scales to accomplish the above.
Comment made on August 05th, 2010
Angelica Perez said...
Excellent idea! But…Why isn’t this tool FREE? Shouldn’t our goal be to make mental health tools as readily available as possible? Especially if this app is aimed at adolescents? $0.99 isn’t a lot of money, of course, but how many adolescents would spend that dollar on mental health tools over some popular new game?
Comment made on December 07th, 2010
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Hello! Quick question that’s totally off topic. Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My website looks weird when viewing from my iphone 4. I’m trying to find a template or plugin that might be able to resolve this issue. If you have any recommendations, please share. Thank you!
Comment made on October 23rd, 2011
Christina Carew said...
We are actually upgrading the site shortly and will be making it more versatile for mobile. Thanks for letting us know.
Comment made on November 02nd, 2011
What do you think?