A structured pictorial questionnaire to assess DSM-III-R-based diagnoses in children (6-11 years): development, validity, and reliability

This paper presents a structured pictorial instrument, the Dominic questionnaire, to assess mental disorders in 6- to 11-year-old children. Ninety-nine drawings represent situations corresponding to DSM-III-R based ADHD, CD, ODD, MDD, SAD, OAD, and SPh. However, cognitive limitation of 6- to 11-year-old children do not allow for time-related measurement. The instrument takes 15-20 min to administer. Reliability and validity of the Dominic questionnaire were studied in Parent DISC-2 positive and negative outpatient and general population samples and against clinical judgement. The pictorial approach provides acceptable test-retest reliability and the instrument makes standardized assessment possible for children as young as 6 years of age.