K-CAT® in Action: Measure Children's Mental Health with Rigor, Speed and Precision
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Dr. Scott Kollins is a clinical psychologist and chief medical officer at Aura. He is also an adjunct professor of psychiatry at the Duke University School of Medicine. Much of his work focuses on digital wellness and positive mental health for kids.
For more than 30 years, he has been part of clinical research, and he often tells colleagues that the K-CAT® is "the greatest set of tools they've probably never heard of."
Why researchers need better tools
Routine care often lacks the standard, rigorous diagnostic approaches common in clinical trials. Dr. Kollins has long wanted to close that gap, and the K-CAT® is one of the tools he trusts to do it.
Full research diagnoses have traditionally taken hours of staff time and placed a heavy burden on participants. The K-CAT® changes that equation.
Strong results in minutes
Dr. Kollins’ team can gather very similar information in just 7 to 10 minutes. That's far less time and cost, and a much smoother experience for the children and families taking part.
He points to two strengths: validity and precision. Together with convenience and the ability to administer the assessment online, they make the K-CAT® a practical choice for large studies.
"The combination of validity, precision, convenience, and the ability to administer assessments online is extremely valuable," he said. "It also allows us to investigate a broad range of conditions."
Studying children from anywhere
Dr. Kollins has used the K-CAT® in two research studies, both focused on children. Because the studies were run remotely, an online interface was essential. Families could complete the forms on their own, without visiting a clinic in person.
One study looked at children with ADHD, many of whom also had other conditions. The team used it to understand how those conditions affected real-world treatment outcomes.
The current study is a nationally representative look at how technology and social media use relate to children's mental health. The study isn't targeting a single condition. The K-CAT® serves as a strong population-level screening tool.
"I can't think of a better way to conveniently, yet rigorously, measure those outcomes than using the K-CAT®," Dr. Kollins said.
A question that matters for every family
How technology and social media affect children's mental health is a question many parents and clinicians are asking. Dr. Kollins calls it "highly important and controversial."
Answering it takes data people can trust. With the K-CAT®, researchers can gather that data more efficiently and with less burden on the children and families they serve.