Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38847814›Full record

ArticleSocial psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology2024

Using random forest to identify correlates of depression symptoms among adolescents.

Mahmood R Gohari, Amanda Doggett, Karen A Patte, Mark A Ferro, Joel A Dubin, Carla Hilario, Scott T Leatherdale

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Mahmood R GohariSchool of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada. mgohari@uwaterloo.ca.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4289-2022
Amanda DoggettMcMaster University, Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, Hamilton, Canada.
Karen A PatteFaculty of Applied Health Sciences, Department of Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, Canada.
Mark A FerroSchool of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.
Joel A DubinDepartment of Statistics and Actuarial Science, School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada.
Carla HilarioSchool of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Social Development, University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus, Kelowna, Canada.
Scott T LeatherdaleSchool of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.

Funding

CIHR OOP-110788
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeAdolescent depression is a significant public health concern, and studying its multifaceted factors using traditional methods possess challenges. This study employs random forest (RF) algorithms to determine factors predicting adolescent depression scores.

methodsThis study utilized self-reported survey data from 56,008 Canadian students (grades 7-12) attending 182 schools during the 2021/22 academic year. RF algorithms were applied to identify the correlates of (i) depression scores (CESD-R-10) and (ii) presence of clinically relevant depression (CESD-R-10 ≥ 10).

resultsRF achieved a 71% explained variance, accurately predicting depression scores within a 3.40 unit margin. The top 10 correlates identified by RF included other measures of mental health (anxiety symptoms, flourishing, emotional dysregulation), home life (excessive parental expectations, happy home life, ability to talk to family), school connectedness, sleep duration, and gender. In predicting clinically relevant depression, the algorithm showed 84% accuracy, 0.89 sensitivity, and 0.79 AUROC, aligning closely with the correlates identified for depression score.

conclusionThis study highlights RF's utility in identifying important correlates of adolescent depressive symptoms. RF's natural hierarchy offers an advantage over traditional methods. The findings underscore the importance and additional potential of sleep health promotion and school belonging initiatives in preventing adolescent depression.

Indexed as

DepressionAdolescentAlgorithmsCanadaFemaleHumansMaleMental HealthRandom ForestSchoolsSelf ReportStudentsSurveys and QuestionnairesDepressionMachine learningMental healthYouth

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.