Innovations: clinical computing: an audio computer-assisted self-interviewing system for research and screening in public mental health settings.
This column describes the nonproprietary software Talker, used to adapt screening instruments to audio computer-assisted self-interviewing (ACASI) systems for low-literacy populations and other populations. Talker supports ease of programming, multiple languages, on-site scoring, and the ability to update a central research database. Key features include highly readable text display, audio presentation of questions and audio prompting of answers, and optional touch screen input. The scripting language for adapting instruments is briefly described as well as two studies in which respondents provided positive feedback on its use.
Bertollo
David N
DN
Statistics and Services Research Division, Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, NY 10962, USA. bert@nki.rfmh.org
Alexander
Mary Jane
MJ
Shinn
Marybeth
M
Aybar
Jalila B
JB
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis; D015897:Comorbidity; D003197:Computer Literacy; D016494:Computer Security; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D004522:Educational Status; D030141:Feedback, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D019303:Multilingualism; D012106:Research; D012931:Social Environment; D012984:Software; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis