New Israeli Method to Predict Who is at Risk for Suicide
November 24, 2020
Researchers at Technion and the Hebrew University have developed tools to recognize early warning signs of suicide by analyzing social media texts.
Following the tragic suicide of a 16-year-old Israeli boy, a group of Israeli researchers has developed new early-detection tools aimed at preventing suicide in at-risk populations.
The system combines machine learning and natural language processing with theoretical and analytical tools from the realm of psychology and psychiatry, and uses layered neural networks.
The researchers analyzed more than 80,000 Facebook posts written by adults in the United States, comparing their language usage patterns with their scores on a wide range of psychological indices.
They discovered that people with real suicidal tendencies rarely use explicitly alarming words in their posts (such as “death,” “kill” or “suicide”). Instead, they use negative descriptive words (”bad,” “worst”), curse words (“f***ing,” “b**ch”), expressions of emotional distress (“sad,” “hurt,” “cry,” “mad”), and descriptions of negative physiological states (“sick,” “pain,” “surgery,” “hospital”).
Preventing suicide is a complex challenge, as medical information related to mental health is protected by confidentiality protocols, and many at-risk people do not seek help. Prevention models were typically based on traditional statistical methods and provided relatively inaccurate predictions.
Published in Scientific Reports, the research was carried out by Technion scientists Prof. Roi Reichart, an expert in natural language processing, PhD student Refael Tikochinski (computational psychology) and postdoctoral researcher Yaakov Ophir (clinical psychology, joint appointment with Hebrew University), along with Hebrew University scientists Prof. Christa Asterhan (educational psychology) and Itay Sisso (cognition and big data).
“Detecting suicidal tendencies early enough requires interdisciplinary research that includes researchers from different fields,” said Ophir.
“That is how this multi-university and multi-disciplinary group was formed,”
“I believe that, at the end of the day, the breakthrough we achieved is capable of saving lives,” Ophir added.
“I hope that this research is a harbinger of hope in the field of mental health.”
Similar posts
-
Israel Is Held To A Higher Standard Than Any Country
April 25, 2024In the intricate tapestry of global affairs, one nation stands out for enduring scrutiny and condem...
-
Israel Has The Most Moral Military In The World
April 10, 2024In the heart of a region often riddled with conflict, Israel stands out not only for its technologi...
-
The Resilience of the Israeli People
April 2, 2024Visitors from around the world have seen Hamas's October 7th Massacre's destruction in southern Isr...
-
Israel: Small Size, Big Impact
March 21, 2024Nestled along the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea, Israel is a land of immense historical sig...
-
Israelis Are Fighting For Their Lives
February 21, 2024By Jonathan S. Tobin The world looks a lot different from Kibbutz Kfar Aza than it does in the U...
-
Over 2 Million Arabs Live In Israel
January 23, 2024In the complex landscape of the Middle East, where diverse cultures and identities intersect, Israe...
-
'Fauda' Star Idan Amedi Injured Fighting in Gaza
January 8, 2024Despite the severity of his injuries, Amedi's father assured Israeli news channels that his life is...
-
Israel Is A Great Country To Live In
December 28, 2023Nestled at the crossroads of the Middle East, Israel stands as a vibrant and dynamic nation, offeri...