title: Innovations: clinical computing: an audio computer-assisted self-interviewing system for research and screening in public mental health settings.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Statistics and Services Research Division, Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, NY 10962, USA. bert@nki.rfmh.org
authors.forename: David N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Bertollo
authors.forename: Mary Jane
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: Marybeth
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shinn
authors.forename: Jalila B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Aybar
mesh_terms: 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