PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Amy Mary Rose Herring
AU  - Michael P Craven
AU  - Faraz Mughal
AU  - Mat Rawsthorne
AU  - Kathie Rees
AU  - Leanne Walker
AU  - Miranda Wolpert
TI  - Potential of using visual imagery to revolutionise measurement of emotional health
AID  - 10.1136/archdischild-2019-317758
DP  - 2020 Jul 01
TA  - Archives of Disease in Childhood
PG  - 690--693
VI  - 105
IP  - 7
4099  - http://adc.bmj.com/content/105/7/690.short
4100  - http://adc.bmj.com/content/105/7/690.full
SO  - Arch Dis Child2020 Jul 01; 105
AB  - Appropriate measurement of emotional health by all those working with children and young people is an increasing focus for professional practice. Most of the tools used for assessment or self-assessment of emotional health were designed in the mid-20th century using language and technology derived from pen and paper written texts. However, are they fit for purpose in an age of pervasive computing with increasingly rich audiovisual media devices being in the hands of young people? This thought piece explores how the increased use of visual imagery, especially forms that can be viewed or created on digital devices, might provide a way forward for more effective measuring of emotional health, including smiley faces, other emojis and other potential forms of visual imagery. The authors bring together perspectives from healthcare, counselling, youth advocacy, academic research, primary care and school-based mental health support to explore these issues.