Can an app prevent teenage suicides? This startup thinks so

Image by Ryan Melaugh

It’s no secret that being a teenager can be a harrowing experience. Your hormones are on the fritz, everyone else seems to be cooler than you, your self-esteem fluctuates like a sin(x) graph and – speaking of math – you’re constantly being told that your next exam will make the difference between an Ivy League university and living in your parents’ basement.

Many of the factors that lead to teenage depression are amped up in East Asia. The hyper-competitive school environments in places like Hong Kong, Singapore, and mainland China are enough to throw anyone’s life out of balance. If you add in the pressures of bullying, body image issues, and a lack of robust school/community counseling programs, it is easy to see how many teens in the region could be going through tough times.

“At the intersection of psychology and technology there’s a lot of new research and ideas taking shape around using mobile and gamification to improve people’s mental health,” says Jamie Chiu, a psychology doctoral candidate and co-founder of Hong Kong-based Lulio. “There’s also a growing body of research on using video games for therapeutic interventions and assessments.”

Lulio aims to bring that research into the real world. By analyzing teenagers’ mental health through mobile games, Jamie and her co-founder, Mark Altosaar, hope to gather data that could spot warning signs of depression or even suicidal tendencies.

Psychology meets technology

“When I was 13 years old, I moved from Africa to Australia,” says Jamie. “I was lonely and couldn’t fit in. I sounded different, I felt different from everyone else and I thought that if I could change myself, I’d be happier. But wanting to be someone else just kept me miserable.”

Mark had similarly tumultuous teenage years, saying, “I struggled with depression and anxiety during school, and I know how isolated it can make you feel.”

But just having gone through the emotional ups and downs of teenagehood first-hand obviously isn’t enough experience to launch a startup dedicated to helping teens with depression. This pair, however, has the work experience to back it up.

Jamie comes from a clinical psychology background, and now works as a school counselor while studying for her doctorate in psychology. “My training has always been more focused on academia and research – which, honestly speaking, is not the most tech-savvy field.”

That’s where Mark comes in. “Before coming to Hong Kong, I worked for one of the world’s largest edtech companies,” he says, mentioning that he managed products used “by millions of teachers and students around the world.”

In addition to the two founders, Lulio’s team includes consultants and advisors covering everything from psychology research to product testing. And, of course, a team of tireless interns.

Lulio founders Jamie and Mark

Putting the research to the test

“In the US and Europe, there are a few apps out there that aim to reduce anxiety or depression using a gamified approach,” Jamie says. “A few have been tested and showed effectiveness, so it’s encouraging that technology can be used in such a way to make a positive impact.”

Working with schools

Preparing to launch