Diagnosis of Dora the Explorer
Dora the Explorer

The patient is a 5 year old girl named
Dora.
Dora the Explorer

She is a balanced bilingual who
speaks English and Spanish equally
Hola
well.
Hi
Dora the Explorer

She has a “friend” she calls Boots.
Boots is a monkey who she believes is
real and can talk.
Dora the Explorer

Dora also talks to her backpack and a
map.
Dora the Explorer

Dora believes that a fox (that she calls
Swiper) is always trying to steal from
her.
Dora the Explorer

Dora’s visual acuity seems to be poor.
She often can not locate
items that are directly in
front of her.
Can you see a
rainbow?
Dora the Explorer

Dora has a tendency to repeat herself.
It is common for her to say the phrase
“Can you say…” several times an hour.
Can
you
say
night?
Can you
say star?
Dora the Explorer

Dora appears to be obsessed with the
number 3. She always looks for 3
tasks, 3 clues, 3 places, etc.
1
2
3
Dora the Explorer

Dora often goes on adventures
unsupervised.
Dora the Explorer

Despite the apparent lack of parental
involvement in Dora’s life she is not
without family support. She has a cousin
Diego whom she spends a significant
amount of time with and who helps her
complete her tasks.
Diagnosis of Dora

Dora seems to be suffering from Paranoid
Schizophrenia.
 Symptoms
 Delusions: She thinks her backpack
and map are alive (depersonalization).
She thinks that Swiper is always trying
to rob her (persecution)
 Hallucinations: She can hear her
backpack and map talking to her
(auditory)
 Echolalia: She repeats phrases
Axis I: Clinical Syndromes
Diagnosis of Dora

Dora suffers from Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder

Symptoms:



Her obsession with the number 3
Her compulsion to complete tasks
Her compulsion to repeat
Axis I: Clinical Syndromes
Diagnosis of Dora

Dora displays evidence of a Dependent
Personality. She is unable to complete
any task independently. She seems to
be dependent on her
“friends” and the audience
to help her.
Axis 2: Personality disorders
Diagnosis of Dora

Dora has poor eyesight as evidenced
by her inability to see what is directly in
front of her.
Can you
see the
corn?
Axis 3: General Medical Conditions
Diagnosis of Dora

Dora does not seem to have adequate
adult supervision. She often goes on
adventures unsupervised and engages in
risky behavior such as crossing the bridge
Axis IV: Psychosocial and
Environmental Problems
Diagnosis of Dora

She does, however, have a cousin and
other friends that seem to provide the
support system she needs.
Axis IV: Psychosocial and Environmental Problems
Diagnosis of Dora

Dora’s would be rated as 50 on the
GAF scale. She hangs out with
unsavory characters. She wears
clothes that don’t fit and don’t match.
Gang
affiliation?
Stomach
hanging out
Axis V: Global Assessment of Function (GAF) Scale:
Diagnosis of Dora

Her highest GAF this year would be an
80. However, despite her delusions,
hallucinations, disordered thinking, and
OCD tendency, she functions relatively
well. She even manages to influence
little children.
Axis V: Global Assessment of Function (GAF) Scale: