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Development of a risk factor framework to inform machine learning prediction of young people's mental health problems: a Delphi study

Parkin, Katherine; Crowley, Ryan; Sippy, Rachel; Hayat, Shabina; Zhang, Yi; Brewis, Emily; Marshall, Nicole; ... Moore, Anna; + view all (2025) Development of a risk factor framework to inform machine learning prediction of young people's mental health problems: a Delphi study. JAMIA Open , 8 (6) , Article ooaf166. 10.1093/jamiaopen/ooaf166. Green open access

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To create a theoretical framework of mental health risk factors to inform the development of prediction models for young people’s mental health problems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We created an initial prototype theoretical framework using a rapid literature search and stakeholder discussion. A snowball sampling approach identified experts for the Delphi study. Round 1 sought consensus on the overall approach, framework domains, and life course stages. Round 2 aimed to establish the points in the life course where exposure to specific risk factors would be most influential. Round 3 ranked risk factors within domains by their predictive importance for young people’s mental health problems. RESULTS: The final framework reached consensus after 3 rounds and included 287 risk factors across 8 domains and 5 life course stages. Twenty-five experts completed round 3. Domains ranked as most important were “Social and Environmental” and “Psychological and Mental Health.” Ranked lists of risk factors within domains and heat maps showing the salience of risk factors across life course stages were generated. DISCUSSION: The study integrated multidisciplinary expert perspectives and prioritized health equity throughout the framework’s development. The ranked risk factor lists and life stage heat maps support the targeted inclusion of risk factors across developmental stages in prediction models. CONCLUSION: This theoretical framework provides a roadmap of important risk factors for inclusion in early identification models to enhance the predictive accuracy of childhood mental health problems. It offers a useful theoretical reference point to support model building for those without domain expertise.

Type: Article
Title: Development of a risk factor framework to inform machine learning prediction of young people's mental health problems: a Delphi study
Location: United States
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1093/jamiaopen/ooaf166
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1093/jamiaopen/ooaf166
Language: English
Additional information: © The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences > Clinical, Edu and Hlth Psychology
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health > Behavioural Science and Health
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10219726
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