Interactive Dominique

The Dominique Interactif (Valla, 2000) is a standardized questionnaire being used to evaluate seven disorders of the mental health in the young people (generalized anxiety, specific phobias, anxiety of separation, depression, the deficit of attention and hyperactivity, disorders of control and the oppositional disorder). It is not a diagnostic instrument. It identifies if the evaluated child probably does not present, could present or probably presents a problem of Mental health (Valla & Al, 2000).

It is about a multi-media Cartoon interactive introducing a young character, named Dominique, in various situations representing of the criteria for some psychopathologies of DSM-IV. Two versions exist, for the six to eleven years and for the teenagers. This last version measures an eighth health issue mental, the tendency to consumption. In the Interactive Dominique , when an image appears on the screen, a question, representing the verbal description of the studied symptom, is posed to the young person, via the loudspeakers. The young person must then indicate if it reacts or not like Dominique in such situations.

As this instrument uses visual stimuli, the authors took account of ethnic diversity. Versions representing of the individuals Hispanic, Afro-Americans and Asian were thus created. This instrument is also available in French European, French Canadian, Spanish European, Spanish Mexican, English and in German.

It is used in context of research, prevention and intervention. In school, it offers the occasion to the psychologists to make a review of the mental health of the young person in a simple way, interesting for the pupil and rapid (the time of making is from 10 to 15 minutes). On the other hand, in order to supplement the evaluation, it is necessary to take account of the environment, the personal history and the context in which saw the young person as well as information coming from the parents, professionals and teachers.

Random links: