Analyzing Children's Drawings

Question 1

Projective Drawings

Answer 1

Used to discover unconscious feelings/attitudes through analysis of responses to ambiguous stimuli

Question 2

Drawing Subjects

Answer 2

• Person: usually draw themselves and gives us a sense of their self
• House: their own house
• Family: sense of family dynamics
• Tree: deep unconscious inner life

Question 3

Picture Interpretation Guidelines

Answer 3

• No single drawing or feature of drawing should be taken in isolation
• interpretations cannot be taken as firm conclusions (making hypothesis)
• Should not always seek out pathology: making drawings will depict happiness/family unity
• ask yourself what feelings the picture evokes

Question 4

Developmental Stages

Answer 4

• 18 months-2.5 years: scribbles
• 2.5-5 years: superimposed shapes (squares, triangles, crosses) & tadpole figures
• 5-8 years: increasing levels of realism & transparency/x-ray drawings
• 8 years-adolescences: visual realism

Question 5

What to Note in Family Drawing

Answer 5

• Ordering of figures/who is included?
• Size of images?
• Emphasis on body/physicality
• Emphasis on hands: size of power
• Emphasis on feet: the grounded of people
• What activity? Surrounding?
• Distance between figures?

Question 6

What to Note in Tree Picture

Answer 6

• Does it have roots/Foliage? Is it in bloom
• What is the size/sturdiness of the trunk?
• How complex is it?