Draw A Person Test Interpretation
Draw A Person Test Interpretation
Draw A Person Test Interpretation
Advantages:
• Easy to administer (only about 20-30 minutes plus 10 minutes of inquiry
• Helps people who have anxieties taking tests (no strict format)
• Can assess people with communication problems
• Relatively culture free
• Allow for self administration
Disadvantages:
• Restricted amount of hypotheses can be developed
• Relatively non-verbal, but may have some problems during inquiry
• Little research backing
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III. MATERIALS
▪ 8 ½ x 11 white paper (short bond paper or letter size paper)
▪ No. 2 black lead pencil and eraser
▪ Coloring materials
IV. INTERPRETATION
1. Pressure Factors
A. Usually heavy pressures suggest:
• Extremely tense individuals
• Assertive, forceful, ambitious persons
• Aggressive and possible acting out tendencies
B. Quality of stroke:
• Firm, unhesitating, determined quality -secure, persistent, and ambitious.
• Vacillating direction, vague lines and interrupted strokes – insecurity, vacillating tendencies.
• Uninterrupted straight strokes – quick, decisive, assertive persons.
• Interrupted, curvilinear strokes – slowness, indecisive; dependent, emotional tendencies, femininity and
submissiveness.
C. Length of stroke:
• Long strokes – suggest controlled behavior, sometimes to point of inhibition.
• Short discontinuous strokes – impulsive, excitable tendencies.
• Very short, circular, sketchy – anxiety, uncertainty, depression, and timidity.
D. Shading
• In chest figure- sensitive to physical inferiority.
• In breast of female figure (if subject is male)- secretive, inhibited sexual concern same as when there
are female subtle line in skin, around genital area-also mother dependency.
• Boundaries of clothing- conflict with regards to body.
• Sexual Area of female figure- sexually sadistic male.
E. Graphology
• Thick and heavy lines- chronic, schizoid alcoholics, depersonalization, fear or withdrawal trends.
• Dim line- timid, self-affecting, uncertain, energy level is low because of physical and physical reasons.
• Fading in/out of the line with spotty reinforcement- hysterical with amnestic reaction to their difficulties.
• Lines traced and redrawn to correct proportion- comprehensiveness and orderliness.
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3. Size of Drawing
A. Usually large drawings suggest:
• Aggressive tendencies
• Expansive, grandiose tendencies
• Feelings of inadequacy with compensatory defenses
• Possible hyperactive
4. Placement of drawings
A. Central placement suggests:
• Normal, secure: The most common placement at all ages.
• In absolute center of the page – insecurity and rigidity, especially in interpersonal relations.
B. Placement high on page suggests:
• High level of aspiration: striving hard for difficult goals
• Optimism, frequently unjustified.
C. Placement low on page suggests:
• Feelings of insecurity
• Feelings of inadequacy
• Depressive tendencies, perhaps with defeatist attitudes.
D. Placement on edge or bottom of paper suggests:
• Need for support associated with feelings of insecurity and low self-assurance.
• Dependency tendencies and a fear of independent action
• Tendency to avoid new experiences or to remain absorbed in fantasy.
5. Action or Movement
A. Drawing seated or reclining individual- low energy level, lack of drive, emotional exhaustion.
B. Drawing suggestive of much activity or considerable movement- strong impulse toward motor activity,
restlessness, reduces a man of action, hypermanic.
C. Drawing with clear impulse to move but blocked by statics, artistic or introversive features- schizoid or
schizophrenics whose strivings toward accomplishments for power are strong but fantasy bound.
6. Profile
A. Full, inclined head to body to extremities- evasion of reality or conflict.
B. Silhouette- depersonalization on.
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1. Head
A. Head emphasis is generally given by depressed and socially withdrawn.
Big head- depressed
Without eyes, nose, mouth- socially withdrawn
B. Disproportionately small head with a big body- Obsessive-compulsive.
C. Drawing ape- likes physical power.
D. Disproportionately large heads drawn by
1. Those suffering from an organic disease involving the brain.
2. Youngster with emotional and social maladjustments.
3. Mental defectives- disability of normal intelligence.
4. Paranoid, narcissistic, righteous vain ( expression of inflated ego)
5. Those who have been subjected to brain surgery.
6. Socially responsive, expansive
7. Intellectually bright
8. Schizophrenic (poor reality testing)
E. Drawing the head last- disturbance in the interpersonal relationships.
F. Tiny heads
• With lollipop- immaturity
• With big body- intellectual capacity
• If body is not well-defined- brain damage
G. Fragmented, looks like a robot- lack of control of impulses, denial about guilt.
H. Flat, shaded- fear of castration or rejection
I. No frailties, just plain head- depersonalization given by schizophrenic paranoid.
Eyes
A. One eye big, the other is small- weakening of personality, strength, disintegration.
B. Furtive and suspicious- conveys idea of reference.
C. Piercing- aggressive social tool.
D. Large, dark, menacing- hostility and repression, paranoid. Generally females make larger and
elaborative eyes.
E. Male figure, large eyes with lashes- homosexually inclined
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Eyebrow
A. Trim- socialistreootype, reflecting grooming and refinement, critical toward self- expression.
B. Bushy- primitive, gruff, uninhibited personality
Nose
A. Long- sexual virility
B. Standing or cutting off- sexually uncertain on inadequate castration fear.
C. Shaded, crossed out- castrated but no anxiety about it.
D. Reinforced- direct compensation for inadequate sexuality.
E. Omission- regressed adult, immaturity among children, defective capacity to deal rationally
is lacking and coordinates response with adjustive behavior.
F. Long and thin- schizoid, physically inferior, psychosexually infantile, suffers from body
weakness in which they express in a compensatory drive for physical power and aggression.
G. Over extended- striving for sexual virility.
H. Hooked, flared- expression of rejection and contempt.
I. Upturned- schizoid, withdrawn, intra-tensive, fantasy prone individual.
Lips
A. Full lips (male figure) – efficacy indication, toppish and narcissistic interest.
B. Elaborate cupid bow (combined with heavy cosmetized features) – sexually precautions.
C. With toothpick or straw- individual has history of oral erotism.
D. With cigarette- manifest sexual symbol and when given particular emphasis and made active
usually represents acute sexual preoccupation.
Mouth
A. Overemphasis- food faddism, temper tantrums, oral aggression and social conflict.
B. Detailing with teeth- infantile oral aggression, simple schizophrenic and hysteric.
C. Detailing the tongue- intensified oral concentration a primitive erotic.
D. Concave and orally receptive mouth- infantile, dependent individual whose dependency is
manifested also in undue emphasis, passive to receive nourishment.
E. Well painted/ well shaped- sexual conflict.
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Chin
A. Full of view (make emphasis on chin)
Overemphasis- need for social dominance
Underemphasis- socially inept or inadequate
Fingers
A. Fetal or grape (like short or rounded)- poor manual skill and infatility, weak personality,
dependent.
B. Severely shaded or reinforced- staling and masturbatory activity.
C. Square, spike-like- suggestion of over aggression.
D. Clenched fists (arms away from the body)- rebelliousness
E. Pressed toward the body- direction of inner aggression and repressed in symptoms rather
than behaviour.
F. Mitten type- repressed aggressiveness but more evasive and repressed
G. Very long finger- shallow, flat, simple type of personality in adults,
H. More than five fingers- low mental functions, distortions may have pathological significance.
I. With joint and nails- obsessive control of aggression, compulsiveness, repressed aggression,
hostility.
J. Fanned like claw- aggression
K. Fingers cut off- masturbating guilt.
Breast
A. Emphasis in nude drawing- sexual conflict
B. No breast- sexual conflict aloof affectional needs.
C. Chest hairy- compensation for sexual impotence
D. Extremely large and carefully drawn breasts- infantile individual with strong oral dependency.
E. Shading in breasts by male subject- mother dependence
F. Biff, protruding- identification by domination mother
Shoulders
A. Massive- sexually ambivalent as an over compensation for the feeling of inadequacy.
B. Marked by erasures, reinforced uncertainties drive of the body developments as expression
of masculinity is basic preoccupation.
C. Exaggerated shoulder in the male figures- expression of the subject’s own insecurity with
respect to masculinity.
D. Square and massive- resistive to others, striving to masculinity
E. Narrow- inadequate feeling of security.
Trunk
A. Round- less aggressive, more undeveloped, more feminine
B. Reluctance to close trunk where buttons are given- sexual preoccupation
C. Thin- discontent with body type possessed by subject
D. Crude emphasis- infantile, narcissistic (among older subject, approaching in volitional
decline)
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Waistline
A. Extremely high waistline- adds evidence to sexual problem that are immediate and pressing.
B. Reinforced by broken lines- irritable and fairly direct expression of the tension in the problems
of zonTing the body.
C. Elaborate belt- tendency of covering tension into erotic and self-display of fairness.
Joints
A. Faulty, uncertain sense of body integrity- dependence, psycho-sexual immaturity.
B. Elbow joints and other osteolatory region are delineated- subject is either compulsive or he
is dependent.
Anatomical indications (common among schizophrenics and actively manic patients with somatic
dimensions)
A. Transparencies of legs (male)- homosexual panic
B. Transparencies of legs (female) - furtive sexual fantasy or sets of dejected character in male
subjects.
C. Inclusion of sexual organ- schizophrenics
D. Internal organs showing through a figure, confusion of profile and full view of the head-
psychotics
Clothing
A. With the preliminary inquiry as to whether he should have a figure with clothing- troubled with
a strong sense of body self-consciousness.
B. Over-clothed- narcissimist, clothes as means of social and sexual enticement.
C. Under-clothed- body narcissist, frank display of muscles
D. Conspicuous button shading, add relevant placement- dependent, infantile, and inadequate
person.
E. Pockets- expression of irritability striving with emotional conflict to emotional dependence
upon mother.
Pocket in the breast- indicator of oral and affectional deprivation usually found in the infantile,
dependent person.
F. Tie- sexual symbol
G. Emphasis of clothing- sexually inadequate, social consciousness.
H. Uncertain, tiny dilapidated- awareness of sexual weakness.
I. Flying away from the body- over sexual aggression, in terms of sexual preoccupation.
J. Obsessive detailing- feminine characteristics
K. Hat (especially decorated) consciously large with hair on the forehead showing through it-
symptomatic of primitive sexual behavior.
L. Transparency- exhibitionism, schizophrenic (poor reality testing)
M. Nudes- frequently seen among art students, individualistic, egocentric
N. Ties-Symbols of sexual inadequacy
O. Belt- demarcates the sexual area
P. Fancy buckle- socialized the dependency inferred from emphasis on the navel.
4. Legs and Feet
-It indicates autonomy, self-movement, self direction, balance.
A. Full body with tiny, shaky legs- indication of feelings of decline
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Stance
A. Legs pressed closely together (figure shade)- tense, self-conscious, awkward and
apprehensive, neurotic when that is extreme in female figure (subject is female)- fear of
sexual attack. (Subject is male)-anticipation of resistance to fantasies attack.
B. Tight stance combined with arms pressed tightly to body as if toward of the blow of
environment- paranoid and schizoid
C. Wide apart legs- insecurity of footing expressed in tiny painted or shaded reinforced first by
ground line or hesitant to paint line throughout.