Human figure drawings by mentally retarded males

Abstract

PROBLEMOf the more recently developed projective techniques, human figure drawings appear to be particularly useful in psychodiagnostic work with the mentally retarded. In addition to not requiring any verbal response on the part of the participant, as in many of the more widely utilized projective devices, they are easily obtained and can be successfully produced by individuals of relatively low intelligence.

Prediction of Psychiatric Hospitalization, Diagnoses, Arrests, and Violent Behavior Through Scored Drawings and Associations

“…Another problem noted in the studies reviewed by Swenson that is of interest with respect to the present research is that of criterion relevance. One example of the criterion relevance problem of some of these early studies is an investigation by De Martino (1954), who ''found no significant difference between the head size of the 'Draw a Person' figures of mentally retarded homosexuals and mentally retarded normals'' [emphasis added]. For purposes of constructing an assessment device that will yield useful information in typical evaluations, one would ask what basis there might be for expecting differences in head sizes of HFDs between those two groups, and further, what possible contribution such a finding, if it had turned out to be positive, would make to any sort of contemporary psychological assessment.…”

Indicators of feminine gender identity in latency-aged boys in the Draw a Person and Rorschach tests

“…Most research has concentrated on the general population or on boys with a feminine sexual identity of homosexual men, and has shown equivocal results (Abraham, 1979(Abraham, , 1989Baker et al, 1953;Brown & Tolor, 1957;Granick & Smith, 1953;Green et al, 1972;Hammer, 1954;Kurtzburg et al, 1966;Lefkowitz, 1962;Levy, 1959;de Martino, 1954;Skilbeck et al, 1975;Wysocki & Wysocki, 1977;Zucker et al, 1983). As a general conclusion from the studies, it seems that feminine-identified boys as a group draw a female figure first more often than controls, but it is clear that this indicator gives rise to many false positives and negativesespecially among older latency children-and should not be used as the sole indicator of inverted gender identity.…”