Part I:
1. Have you ever had the experience described below‚ when you were doing some activity you enjoyed very much?
I’m not thinking about anything other than what I’m doing. I’m completely involved in what I’m doing. I feel good‚ I don’t feel pain‚ and it seems as though I can’t hear anything. It’s as though I am distant from everything. I forget my problems. I don’t realize that I’m concentrating. I think that if my mother called me‚ or if the doorbell or telephone rang‚ I wouldn’t hear it. Once I finish doing that activity I get “connected” with the world again.
Mark an “X” to show your answer. (If the response is negative‚ the evaluation is suspended.)
Yes ____ No ____
2. What activity were you doing when this happened to you? [Open response that will be coded later by activity.]
3. What do you think about when you do that activity? [Open response that will be coded later.]
4. Why do you do that activity? (Mark an “X” to show your answer.)
Because I have to do it ( ) Because I want to do it ( ) Because I don’t have anything else to do ( )
Part II:
Below are four sets of statements or adjectives that refer to your state of mind or feelings while you were doing the activity reported in Part I. For each item‚ mark an “X” for the answer that indicates to what extent you were feeling or thinking this way. (Extremely‚ Very much‚ Somewhat‚ Just a little‚ Not at all).
[Scoring of questions 1–5: Extremely: 5. Very much: 4. Somewhat: 3. Just a little: 2. Not at all: 1].
1. Do you concentrate deeply while you are doing that activity?
2. Do you feel good about yourself while you are doing that activity?
3. Do you feel in control of the situation?
4. Do you feel that you are fulfilling your expectations‚ your goals?
5. Do you feel that you are fulfilling what other people expect from you? For example‚ your parents‚ siblings‚ friends‚ etc.
How do you feel while you are doing that activity? [The scoring goes from 7 to 1‚ with the highest score corresponding to the positive adjective].
(Extremely‚ Very Much‚ Somewhat‚ Neither Somewhat‚ Very Much‚ Extremely)
6. Happy -1-2-3-4-5-6- Sad
7. Annoyed -1-2-3-4-5-6- Contented
8. Enthusiastic -1-2-3-4-5-6- Indifferent
9. Nervous‚ anxious -1-2-3-4-5-6- Calm
10. Aggressive -1-2-3-4-5-6- Friendly
11. Bored -1-2-3-4-5-6- Interested
12. Free -1-2-3-4-5-6- Compelled
13. Ashamed -1-2-3-4-5-6- Proud
What is your state of mind while you are doing that activity? [The scoring goes from 7 to 1‚ with the highest score corresponding to the positive adjective].
(Extremely‚ Very Much‚ Somewhat‚ Neither Somewhat‚ Very Much‚ Extremely)
14. Alert wide awake -1-2-3-4-5-6- Sleepy or drowsy
15. Attentive -1-2-3-4-5-6- Careless
16. Active -1-2-3-4-5-6- Passive
17. Confused clearly -1-2-3-4-5-6- Thinking
18. Strong -1-2-3-4-5-6- Weak
19. Committed -1-2-3-4-5-6- Disinterested
[Questions 20–26 are scored as follows: Extremely: 5. Very much: 4. Somewhat: 3. Just a little: 2. Not at all: 1. Item 25 should be scored inversely‚ from Extremely: 1 to Not at all: 5].
20. While you are doing the activity‚ do you feel that it offers you a challenge? (Understanding “challenge” in a positive sense as an obstacle to be overcome)
21. Do you feel capable of meeting that challenge?
22. Is it an important activity for you?
23. Is it an important activity for other people? For example‚ for your parents‚ siblings‚ friends‚ etc.
24. Do you feel successful while you are doing the activity?
25. Do you wish you were doing something else?
26. While you are doing the activity‚ are you satisfied with the way you’re doing it?
27. Who is with you‚ in general‚ while you are doing the activity?
Alone ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Siblings ( ) Friends ( ) Strangers ( ) Professors ( ) Other …………………………….
· Experience
This instrument can be found on pages 109-113 of Latino Families and Youth: A Compendium of Assessment Tools‚ available online at: http://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_view&gid=23171&Itemid=
Mesurado‚ B. (2008). Validez factorial y fiabilidad del cuestionario de expe-riencia óptima (flow) para niñosy adolescentes. Revista Iberoamericana de Diagnóstico y Evaluación Psicológica‚ 25(1)‚ 159-178.