Technology matters: AI-driven tools in children's mental healthcare: perspectives from young people and parents.

Journal: Child and adolescent mental health
Published Date: Nov 12, 2025

Abstract

Artificial intelligence may be able to improve the efficiency, accuracy and predictiveness of mental health assessments, and public perspectives are crucial to ensuring these tools are implemented with fairness and accountability. We developed an artificial intelligence-driven tool to automatically analyse parents' speech data, which if successful could be implemented in children and young people's mental health assessments. To engage stakeholders with this project, we worked with a science fiction writer to produce two stories about possible futures of our tool, which we discussed in workshops with young people and parents. Here, we summarise key themes arising from this novel method of engaging the public in mental health research, and highlight considerations for clinicians and researchers creating novel technologies for children and young people's mental healthcare.

Authors

  • Zoë Firth
    CAMHS Digital Lab, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
  • Christine Aicardi
    Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.
  • Stephen Oram
    Independent Applied Science Fiction Practitioner, London, UK.
  • Nicholas Cummins
    Department of Biostatistics & Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
  • Alice Wickersham
    CAMHS Digital Lab, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
  • Helen L Fisher
    Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
  • Johnny Downs
    Department of Psychological Medicine, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.

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