An Aberrant Drawing Sequence of the Human Figure and its Relation to Psychopathology

Abstract

The incidence of affective instability and antisocial behavior in patients, and familial mental illness in 14 psychiatric inpatients who drew the human figure aberrantly from the feet upwards to the head were compared with 15 psychiatric inpatients who did not draw the human figure in this manner. The incidence of the three factors of interest was significantly different in the two groups. While affective instability was not significantly different in the two groups, there were significant differences in the incidence of familial mental illness and antisocial behavior with elevations for the aberrant drawing group. Clinical vignettes are presented. This study suggests that the sequence of drawing may be a more objective datum than psychodynamic interpretations of finished products and may have some predictive usefulness in planning treatment.