Prediction of depression status in college students using a Naive Bayes classifier based machine learning model

Abstract

This study presents a machine learning model based on the Naive Bayes classifier for predicting the level of depression in university students, the objective was to improve prediction accuracy using a machine learning model involving 70% training data and 30% validation data based on the Naive Bayes classifier, the collected data includes factors associated with depression from 519 university students, the results showed an accuracy of 78.03%, high sensitivity in detecting positive cases of depression, especially at moderate and severe levels, and significant specificity in correctly classifying negative cases, these findings highlight the effectiveness of the model in early detection and treatment of depression, benefiting vulnerable sectors and contributing to the improvement of mental health in the student population.