An online platform using Computerised Adaptive Testing technology to enable early assessment of mental health difficulties in secondary school students.
Summary
Artemis-R is a prototype online platform for quick and accurate identification of mental health difficulties (MHD) in secondary school pupils aged 11-16 years. It employs Computerised Adaptive Testing (CAT) which enables to reduce assessment duration from 126 questions to around six-eight for each tested condition that precisely position individuals on a calibrated population distribution of the corresponding MHD. Assessment using Artemis-R is typically completed in less than 5 minutes, while currently used paper-based assessment requires at least 60 minutes.
Application of CAT enhances measurement efficiency, enables automated scoring and preparation of tailored reports. This offers schools a rapid, practical and feasible solution that addresses the need for an effective identification method. Artemis-R is designed for maximum ease of implementation. Using it in schools in schools requires minimal staff input and no additional training.
The aim of our current project funded by MRC Confidence in Concept funding scheme is to enhance user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) of Artemis-R. We have been working with a technical provider (Effusion) to develop a visual identity of Artemis-R. Currently we are engaging end users and other stakeholders including pupils, school staff, parents and mental health professionals to:
- Elicit their views on mental health screening in secondary schools including practicalities of conducting assessment and potential harms and problems that can result from screening.
- Understand their expectations about functionality and additional content of the Artemis – R platform (e.g. access and security solutions, privacy, reporting, mental health resources)
- Gather their feedback on proposed design features (UI/UX)
Project Aims
Detecting mental health difficulties usually involves completing lots of lengthy questionnaires, which then need to be scored and interpreted by a trained person. This is time consuming and costly for busy schools to manage.
Artemis-A is a web application (app) that uses Computerised Adaptive Testing (CAT) technology which selects a small, tailored set of questions from a much larger group of questions. The responses are scored automatically in real time and should take only 5 to 8 minutes to complete.
The aim of the current project is to improve the look and feel of the Artemis-A app. The app is being co-produced with school staff, mental health professionals, parents and most importantly, young people. They were involved at each stage of the design and development process to make sure the app is useful and user friendly.
Project Activity
We conducted focus groups and interviews with secondary school students, parents and school staff and mental health professionals.
We asked them to:
- Explore the application and share their ideas how we can improve it.
- Share their opinions about mental health assessment in schools and how this could be done.
- Help us designing the application by showing them some ideas what the app may look like and ask them to choose the best ones.
- Test the final app
Impact
Artemis-A app to be used in high schools (Artemis-A website www.artemis-a.org)
Assessment using Artemis-R is typically completed in less than 5 minutes, while currently used paper-based assessment requires at least 60 minutes. This offers schools a highly efficient, flexible and cost-effective method of early identification of MHD. Application of CAT enhances measurement efficiency, enables automated scoring and preparation of tailored reports. This offers schools a rapid, practical and feasible solution that addresses the need for an effective identification method. Artemis-R is designed for maximum ease of implementation. Using it in schools in schools requires minimal staff input and no additional training.
Who was involved?
PI: Prof. Peter Jones and Prof. Tamsin Ford
Researchers and institutions
Prof. Jesus Perez, Dr. Joanna Anderson, Dr. Jan Stochl, Dr. Anne-Marie Burn
Cambridge University Department of Psychiatry
