Using AI to protect mental health

[Photo: China Daily]

As the world marks International Children’s Day on June 1, it’s a time for joy and anticipation for children across the country.

While parents get ready to celebrate this occasion, they should also remember the significance of another day that just passed. May 25 was National Student Mental Wellness Day.

Beyond the gifts and the fun at amusement parks on International Children’s Day, how can we lay a strong foundation for our children’s mental health?

The solution extends beyond doctors and hospitals. It requires a collective effort to address a growing crisis in our schools and colleges.

A 2025 study of middle school students in Chongqing revealed troubling statistics: about 26.34 percent of the 12,367 children showed signs of depression. Consider the case of “Qi Qi” (not her real name), a 14-year-old student from a middle school in Chongqing.

At school, Qi Qi always kept to herself and rarely communicated with her classmates.

Everyone thought she was just shy, but her sadness grew wildly inside her. One day, after a math test, Qi Qi broke down crying and said she didn’t want to go to school anymore — she didn’t want to exist in this world anymore.

Qi Qi’s story is a wake-up call. We live in an age of artificial intelligence and digital footprints.

These tools should be used to protect our children. This is where “digital phenotyping” comes in.

The concept may sound complex, but it simply means using data from devices — such as phones and watches — to understand a child’s behavior.

This is not science fiction, but a necessary measure.

AI can look for small changes that parents or teachers might miss. For example, a sudden drop in messages or calls, and more late-night screen time than usual. These can be early warning signs.

This is not about surveillance, but about stepping in early to help.

At the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, a national regional medical center for mental health disorders, physicians are exploring how to combine data — such as facial expressions and voice tones — with AI to build models that can identify emotional issues early.

Such technological innovations alone are not enough. We must also look at the underlying causes that are troubling children.

The pressure to get good grades in academics and the erosion of close family support are genuine problems.

The Ministry of Education’s “double reduction” policy was a good first step to ease school stress, but a broader shift in mindset is needed.

We must value emotional strength as much as we value academic achievements.

The family can become the “charging station” for a child’s emotional well-being. Simple daily habits can make a big difference. Turn lectures into conversations.

Instead of asking, “Why did you fail?”, try “You look upset. Want to talk about it?” Create “magic time” for the family by setting aside 15 minutes after dinner to disconnect from devices and engage in playful activities. Dance like silly people, play with Lego, or just laugh.

Let the stress melt away. Have “failure parties” to celebrate mistakes as learning moments.

When children see that a wrong answer or poor grades are not the end of the world, it reduces their fear of failure.

This is not empty talk. Real action is underway. As part of the “Sunshine Mind Regional Collaborative Alliance for Youth Development”, we are launching six projects, including the “Sunshine Mind Volunteer Service Team”, “Adolescent Sleep Health Promotion Project” and the “Care Plan for Children in Need”.

These programs bring mental health services directly to schools, communities and families. They move us from random, disconnected efforts to a clear, organized system of care.

Qi Qi’s story ends well. With counseling, her parents’ loving support, and a school program that encouraged outdoor play, she slowly found joy again.

As we celebrate June 1, let us remember that the best gift we can give our children is not a toy, but the tools to understand and manage their inner world.

By using ethical AI, strong family bonds, and community support, we can help every child not just survive — but truly thrive. Yu Haiyan & Zhou Xinyu, China Daily, MDT/China Daily