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The purpose of this study was to compare the performance on Human figure drawing test (HFDT) between schizophrenic and manic patients. The sample consists of 60 patients (30 each schizophrenia and mania). Two intelligence tests were administered to rule out the possibility of mental retardation. The subjects having IQ above 70 were included in the study and the Human Figure Drawing Test was administered individually. The results indicate significant difference on quantitative and qualitative scoring between the performance of schizophrenic and manic groups.
Key Words: Human figure drawing test, Schizophrenia, Mania.
Drawing has been used as a method of expression from very beginning of the civilization. Even during Stone Age people tried to express their feelings through paintings on the walls of caves. Even small children are found interested in making sketches and accordingly projecting their inner worlds.
In the area of projective testing, the Draw-APerson Test (Machover, 1949) is well known and is the first test used to study unconscious feelings of individuals (from children to older age). The DAP test requires the subject to make a picture of a person. The technique is based on the assumption that the individual will project his/ her self-image and inner feelings through drawings. The drawing of human figure is an ideal vehicle for self-expression (Machover, 1949). Initially, interpretation of Human Figure Drawing Test was based on characteristics of the figure, such as size, placement on the page, apparent rigidity of the drawn figure, drawing proportion, aesthetic appearance, line quality, gender issues, clothing and omission, etc (Machover, 1949; Urban ,1963; and Handler and Reyher, 1985). Mitchell et al. (1993) used human figures to assess cognitive level of patients. Initially the interpretation of the test was restricted to intellectual aspect of the person but continuous research in projective psychology made this test popular.
Comparatively the Drawing test requires less time in administration. The present study is a modest attempt to compare the performance of Human Figure Drawing among schizophrenic and manic patients.
Methodology:
Sample:
The sample consisted of 60 patients (30 patients each suffering from mania and schizophrenia), diagnosed as per ICD-10, (WHO 1993), falling in the age range of 20 to 50 years (Mean age of schizophrenia group and mania group was30.30+7.39 and 29.50+ 63...