Mood assessment via animated characters

Mood assessment via animated characters (MAAC) (2002–present)

The Centre for Mobile Computing in Mental Health is using animation to help children accurately communicate how they are feeling to clinicians.

The project was developed in collaboration with Drs. Katharina Manassis and Sandra Mendlowitz from the Hospital for Sick Children's department of psychiatry; Jason Sharpe from biomedical communications at the University of Toronto; and Mark Simon, program coordinator of the Sheridan College computer animation program.

The project was originally funded by the Hospital for Sick Children (2003–2005). Current funding is from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (2009–2012).

Selected publications:

• Manassis K, Mendlowitz S, Kreindler D, Lumsden C, Sharpe J, Simon M, Woolridge N, Monga S, Adler-Nevo G. Mood Assessment via Animated Characters: A Novel Instrument to Evaluate Feelings in Young Anxious Children. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 2009;38:380-89.


• Manassis K, Mendlowitz S, Lumsden C, Kreindler D, Woolridge N. Mood assessment via animated characters: An innovative feelings rating scale. Presented at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Annual Meeting. Toronto, 2005.