Research on the Application of Tree Drawing Projection Tests in the Auxiliary Diagnosis and Condition Assessment of Depression

Abstract

Objective This study aims to extract and quantitatively analyze the tree drawing projection indices from groups of patients with depression, patients in remission, and a normal control group, to explore characteristic indicators of tree drawing projections in individuals with depression and provide a basis for auxiliary diagnosis and condition assessment of depression. Methods Tree drawing tests were administered to 59 patients with depression, 57 patients in remission, and 59 normal controls. Computer image recognition and data collection were used for quantitative analysis of the tree projections, and statistical analysis was conducted on the results from the three groups. Results ANOVA tests revealed significant statistical differences between the depression patients, remission patients, and normal controls in the following quantitative indices: canopy area, canopy height, canopy width, trunk area, trunk width, total area, and the ratio of canopy width to trunk width (P values: 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.003, 0.000, 0.004, 0.000). No significant differences were found in trunk height, root width, root height, root area, total height, the ratio of canopy height to trunk height, and the ratio of canopy area to trunk area. Further LSD-t tests showed that compared to the depression group, the remission group exhibited significant differences in canopy area, canopy height, canopy width, trunk area, trunk width, the ratio of canopy height to trunk width, and total area (P values: 0.001, 0.000, 0.009, 0.002, 0.000, 0.046, 0.007, 0.000). No significant differences were found in the other six indices; also, no significant differences were found between the remission group and the normal control group across all 14 indices. Conclusion There are seven quantitative indices where significant statistical differences exist among the tree drawings from the depression group, the remission group, and the normal control group, and seven indices where no significant differences were found. The quantitative indices of tree drawing projections have potential value for the auxiliary diagnosis and condition assessment of depression.