Drawing for a child is not art, but speech. Drawing makes it possible to express what, due to age restrictions, he cannot express in words. In the process of drawing, the rational goes into the background, prohibitions and restrictions recede. At this moment the child is absolutely free. A child's drawing most often clearly demonstrates the area of interest of the youngest artist. In the early stages of development (up to three years) these are dashes, lines, circles. The child “tests” a pencil or brush and experiments. Usually he first makes a drawing, and then comes up with what he depicted, what This it might be similar. Later (by the age of four) appears concept of the drawing . From a certain age (3.5 - 4 years) an object close attention and learning becomes a person. From the point of view of psychodiagnostics, a person’s drawing is one of the most accurate and reliable sources of information. The only difficulty is that the information contained in such a message is figuratively “encoded”, and the drawing must be “read” correctly. Psychologists who use drawing techniques in their work must have sufficient qualifications and experience working with children. However attentive parents can always be noticed in creative works child something unusual, feel his mood, catch the hidden tension. Therefore, as “first aid”, we offer several lessons on analyzing a child’s drawing.
The details of a child's drawing depend on age
The child should be asked to draw his family. Moreover, so that everyone is busy with some kind of activity. Let him have a selection of colored pencils and enough paper - a regular landscape sheet (A4 format) will do just fine. Do not rush your child or comment on his drawing during the drawing process. And when he finishes the family portrait, it’s time to ask questions: who exactly did he paint and what are all these characters doing? When starting to analyze a drawing, adults should take into account that its content and, relatively speaking, quality depend on age young artist. In three-year-old children, people most often look like “cephalopods”: certain creatures whose body and head are a single “bubble” with legs. A face may also appear. But, strictly speaking, analyze the drawing from the point of view personal development and psycho-emotional state will be more accurate from 4-5 years . By the age of four, a child usually already depicts a person in the form of two ovals with arms and legs - sticks. In the drawings of five-year-old children, the head, eyes, torso, arms, and legs appear. At six years of age, the nose, mouth, and fingers are added to the above (their number is not significant). By the age of seven, “painters” no longer lose sight of such details human image, like the neck, hair (or hat), clothes (at least in schematic form), and arms and legs are depicted with double lines. Typically, these criteria are used when assessing mental development child.
Analysis of a child's drawing based on... one's own feelings
Home hierarchy
Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the structure of the family picture. It is necessary to compare its real composition with that depicted by the child on paper. You should also evaluate the order of drawing, the size of the figures and their location on the sheet. The first and largest, as a rule, is depicted the most significant family member in the understanding of the young artist. Children usually draw themselves next to those to whom they feel the greatest affection. And farthest away in the picture is the child’s most unsympathetic relative. The image in profile or from the back also indicates a tense relationship between this family member and the author of the drawing. Children live by momentary experiences. And often emotional relationships with someone close (recent quarrel, resentment) can make their own adjustments to the drawing. In this case, the baby may even “forget” someone. For example, 6-year-old Alyosha does not draw his father, who pays little attention to him and is rude. And his absence in the picture is explained by the fact that “dad went on a business trip.” Alisa (4 years old) did not draw her little sister Ksyusha, explaining her absence by saying that the baby was “sleeping in another room.” The girl cannot come to terms with the fact that her mother does not pay as much attention to her as before because of her sister. The opposite situations also occur, when the child depicts in the drawing really non-existent family members. Sasha (5 years old) surprised his mother a lot when he drew a picture of a baby playing next to him and announced that he finally had a brother! Such “adjustments” to the composition of the family are made by children who are dissatisfied with their emotional situation. They need more friendly attention from adults and games “on equal terms”, or better yet, entertainment in the company of other similar kids. What family members are doing also plays an important role when analyzing a child’s drawing. If they are united by some common cause, most often this indicates a favorable family climate. Very significant an indicator of psychological closeness is the real distance between the depicted figures . By drawing himself separately from others, a child can “signal” his isolation in the family. If he separates his family from each other with partitions or places them in different “rooms,” this may indicate problems in communication. The size of the image indicates the place this person occupies in the emotional life of the family. For example, if a child draws a younger brother or sister larger than himself, then we can assume exceptional attention to him from his loved ones. He "occupies a lot of space in their lives." The absence of the smallest artist in the drawing is a frequent sign that the child feels lonely in the family and has “no place” in relationships between loved ones. You can check this by asking your child the question: “Perhaps you forgot to draw someone?” It happens that a child ignores even a direct instruction: “you forgot to draw yourself” or explains: “there is no space left,” “I’ll finish drawing it later.” This situation is a serious reason to think about family relationships. A very dense image of figures, as if overlapping each other, speaks of equally close relationships between people close to the baby or his need for such connections.
“Writing manner” assessment
A fairly common sign of increased anxiety in a child is self-correction. Especially those that do not lead to improved image quality. There are drawings made from individual small strokes - the child seems to be afraid to draw a decisive line. Sometimes the entire drawing or some of its parts is hatched. In such cases, one can also assume increased anxiety in the young artist. It is worth paying attention to the exaggeratedly large eyes in the portrait, especially if their pupils are densely shaded. Perhaps the baby is experiencing a feeling of fear. Numerous decorations, the presence of additional details and elements of the costume from the author of the drawing indicate the child’s demonstrativeness, his desire to be noticed, and his craving for external effects. This is more common in girls. Very weak pencil pressure, low (not for age) detail pattern is found in children who are asthenic, prone to fatigue, emotionally sensitive, and psychologically unstable. And children, whose mood changes easily, for no apparent reason, usually often change the pressure during the drawing process: some lines are barely noticeable, others are drawn with noticeable effort. Impulsive kids often do not complete the lines or, conversely, draw in a sweeping manner, which is why their drawings give the impression of being careless and uncontrolled. Here, strong pressure and gross violations of symmetry attract attention. Sometimes the drawing “does not fit” on the sheet. There are drawings where everything the figures are depicted very small. Usually the entire composition is oriented towards some edge of the sheet. This means that the baby feels weak and does not believe in his own strength. Perhaps one of his relatives is very strict with him or the requirements for the child do not correspond to his real capabilities. If baby depicts himself in open position (arms and legs are widely spaced, the figure is large, often round), this indicates his sociability and cheerfulness. On the contrary, a “closed” pose (arms pressed to the body or hidden behind the back, elongated, angular figure) rather indicates a closed person, inclined to restrain his feelings and thoughts. Both in the drawings of boys and in the drawings of girls one can often notice symbols of aggressive tendencies behavior: large accented fists, weapons, intimidating pose, clearly drawn nails and teeth. Despite the apparent hostility, they can be an expression of defensive behavior . Adults should figure out what is a source of increased emotional danger for their child, and why he needed such a demonstration of his strength. A special place is occupied drawings that violate accepted image standards . In particular, the image of the genitals. For young children (under 4 years old) this is rather a common occurrence. This reflects the tendency towards naturalness of life in all its manifestations. For older preschoolers, such a drawing speaks of demonstrativeness, a desire to attract attention in a provocative way, and serves as an expression of aggression.
Is the palette a mirror of the soul?
Children very early begin to “feel” color and select it according to their mood and attitude. Dr. Max Lüscher, a psychologist and color researcher, studied different people's color choices. He came to the conclusion that the choice of color reflects the psychological qualities of a person and his state of health. Number of colors the child uses can be viewed from several perspectives. First of all, this is a characteristic of the level of development emotional sphere generally. Usually children use 5-6 colors. In this case, we can talk about a normal average level of emotional development. A wider palette of colors suggests a sensitive nature, rich in emotions. If a child over 3-4 years old draws with 1-2 colored pencils, this most likely indicates his negative state at the moment: anxiety (blue), aggression (red), depression (black). Use only a simple pencil(if there is a choice) is sometimes interpreted as the “lack” of color, thus the child “reports” that there is a lack of bright colors and positive emotions in his life. The most emotionally significant figures are highlighted with a large number of colors. And openly rejected characters are usually drawn in black or dark brown. Colors can also convey certain character traits and states. Each color has its own symbolic meaning :
- dark blue – concentration, focus on internal problems, need for peace and satisfaction, introspection;
- green – balance, independence, perseverance, stubbornness, desire for security;
- red – willpower, eccentricity, outward focus, aggression, increased activity, excitability;
- yellow – positive emotions, spontaneity, curiosity, optimism;
- violet – fantasy, intuition, emotional and intellectual immaturity (children often prefer this color);
- brown – sensory support of sensations, slowness, physical discomfort, often - negative emotions;
- black – depression, protest, destruction, urgent need for change;
- grey – “lack” of color, indifference, detachment, desire to leave, not to notice what is disturbing.
From theory to practice
So, the kid spent a few minutes over a sheet of paper with pencils in his hands, and the picture is ready. How much that is important for him and for his parents is hidden in this drawing! Let's try to read it? Here the child has depicted himself, but the pose is unstable and there is no face. How to communicate without a face? - Difficult! Here is the baby in the crib, lying down to rest. Perhaps he was tired. Or maybe he's sick? And the color I chose was brown. Yes, that’s right – temperature! Why do all the girls draw princesses? This is exactly how they feel or...really want it. Just to be in the center of attention, to be the most... And what is the demand for a princess? Here is a boy, armed to the teeth. He needs protection. Maybe someone offended him.
Examples of analysis of specific drawings:
Children's drawing 1
The author of this “family portrait” is Alyosha (6 years old).
Age criterion The child’s behavior contains traits that are more typical early age, the emotional-volitional sphere is characterized by immaturity. All characters in the picture are depicted in the same way. Clothing, with its inherent details, is missing. Hairstyle acts as a symbolic sign of gender. The characteristic absence of a neck in the depicted people in this case indicates the difficulty of controlling the mind over bodily impulses, that is, Alyosha’s behavior is characterized by high mobility, and at times, disinhibition and impulsiveness. Emotional characteristics The drawing is bright, light, cheerful, orderly, rather friendly. Features of the family image The family in the picture is reflected in in full force. In the center of the composition is dad as an important subject in the domestic hierarchy. We can assume with reasonable confidence that mother is physically and emotionally closer to Alyosha. The pairs formed are noteworthy: mother - son (the youngest in the family), father - daughter. Sister Lena is the furthest from the author of the drawing. Probably, not everything is going well in their relationship. It is significant that of all the family members, only dad “stands firmly on the ground.” The rest are floating, a little “in the clouds.” In general, we can talk about fairly warm and close relationships between family members. This is evidenced by the small distance between them, the choice of a common color and the image in the same color scheme of a house with smoke from a chimney, symbolizing the “warmth of the family hearth.” "Manner of writing" All lines of the drawing are made with confident, decisive movements. It is probably this style of behavior that is most characteristic of Alyosha. But strong pressure and accentuated shading of the boy’s body speak of internal restlessness, anxiety, perhaps physical (literally bodily) malaise. The hairstyle reveals an active, sometimes perhaps aggressive, nature. An interesting detail is the peculiar antennas (according to Alyosha), which in the picture “grow” from the boy’s ears. They symbolize the need for information to compensate for difficulties in communication (the child in the image does not have a face). The poses of all the characters are open, their figures are round, which suggests cheerful, sociable people. In the case of Alyosha, this apparent contradiction may mean: “I want to communicate, play, but they don’t always understand me.” Palette The color scheme of the picture is very symbolic. The little artist chose the signal red color for all family members, especially for himself. This indicates an outward orientation, sociability, and increased activity of the author of the drawing. Additional green emphasizes the desire for independence and the desire to insist on one's own as a habitual way of behavior. An important detail of the drawing is the clearly drawn surface of the earth. If Alyosha spent a lot of time on her image, this is probably something important to him. In this case, we can consider the earth as a need for support, greater stability and stability. The goal of analyzing a drawing is always to gain a deeper understanding of the child, look at the family through his or her eyes, and identify paths to positive change. In this case, I would like to recommend to Alyosha’s parents that they pay more attention to deep, confidential communication with their son, talk to him more often just like that, and ask his opinion on various issues. They should also consider what is the difficulty of contact between son and daughter. And active recreation and outdoor games can significantly reduce emotional and physical stress.
Children's drawing 2.
Its author is Maxim (4 years 10 months)
Age criterion
This pattern is more typical for six-year-old children. We can say that the boy is developing intellectually ahead of his age. Emotional characteristics
The drawing is bright, dynamic, but restless. Features of the family image.
The family is depicted in its entirety. Noteworthy is the sexual identification of the young author with his father (see clothes). However, emotionally the child is still closer to his mother, which is typical for a preschooler. It’s interesting that the boy doesn’t seem to have enough space in the drawing; he’s unsteady on his feet. His position is unstable and changeable. Palette
The child chose for himself purple, which, combined with his insecure position in the family (this was mentioned above), indicates possible psycho-emotional instability and frequent mood swings. For mom little artist chose energetic somewhat chaotic, yellow. Dad is brown. In his image, attention is concentrated on the physical body. This is how a child sees his parents. "Manner of writing"
The figures are large, angular - most likely, in the child’s communication there is some straightforwardness and a tendency to conflict (sharp corners). Noticeable shading and clearly drawn pupils suggest the presence of hidden anxiety.
Children's drawing 3
Petya, 6 years old.
The drawing is bright, rich, energetic, well organized. It is quite consistent with the artist's age. The family structure is divided into “adult” and “children” groups. The younger brother and sister strive to be emotionally and physically closer to Petya. Probably the family is psychologically close, equal relations. Mom is the most vivid, emotional image. The child identifies the image of the mother with the help of color and draws it first. Petya portrays himself as an adult. The arms are somewhat shortened compared to other images. This is usually found in the drawings of children who consider themselves insufficiently skilled and are critical of their practical skills and capabilities. The sun and flowers are very often found in children's drawings. It is worth paying attention if their appearance is unjustified by the situation. For example, the sun appears in a drawing of a room. Then we talk about the need for warmer relationships in the family. In Petya’s drawing, these symbols most likely indicate a positive attitude towards his family.
Children's drawing 4
Polina, 7 years old.
Often children draw arbitrarily, without a special task or request: “I’m drawing a girl like me.” In this case, we observe a somewhat idealized child’s idea of himself. Let's pay attention to Polina's drawing. It is located at the top of the leaf, quite large and bright. We can talk about the child’s positive self-esteem, activity, and emotionality. The girl is probably distinguished by high self-control, developed intelligence, and sociability. But she lacks stability (note the accentuated drawn line of the ground and the child’s small legs). From a psychological point of view, we are talking about self-doubt. This usually happens in a family where one child is raised: he is given, as paradoxical as it may sound, too much attention, every step is controlled and directed. Thus, the child is deprived of the opportunity to somehow demonstrate independence. Gradually getting used to this situation, the child is afraid to take the wrong step and waits for “valuable instructions.” Maybe Polina should sometimes make her own mistakes and learn from them?
Children's drawing 5
Alexandra, 4 years old.
The drawing is dynamic, bright, somewhat chaotic. The emotional center of the family is undoubtedly the mother: warmth (the sun), the child, and the dog are concentrated around her. Her dress is decorated with a pattern. Please note that Sasha portrays herself as equal to adults and only her legs do not reach the ground. The girl's character is probably combative, impulsive, and boyish. The lines of the drawing are sweeping, with strong pressure, suggesting a low level of self-control. For such children, games with simple rules and involving several players are useful. Active sports will also teach you to better understand yourself and relate your desires to the interests of the team.
Children's drawing 6
Petya, 4 years 6 months
A completely unusual drawing for a 4.5 year old child. The cephalopods immediately turned into mature drawings. This is especially true for images of adults. Undoubtedly, this is a drawing of a very observant, developed and at the same time anxious child. Abundant shading, density, tightness of the image, and emphasized eyes indicate the presence of anxiety. The most prominent and significant figure is the pope. Pay attention to how the shading of clothing varies among family members. Dad’s is in a strictly defined direction, his suit is official. Probably in life, dad is a very organized, business person. The figures in the figure are depicted very tightly. This may indicate an equally close relationship in reality. But our main character seems to need to active life greater physical and psychological space. At first glance, it may seem that analyzing children's drawings is not such a difficult task. However, I would like to warn parents against harsh formulations and making a psychological diagnosis. Indeed, behind the apparent simplicity and elegance of the method there are many nuances, interconnections of individual manifestations and features. In addition, the person analyzing the drawing views it through the prism of his own personal experience and state at a given moment in time. Therefore, you should not draw far-reaching conclusions on your own. And if something in the child’s drawing alarms or puzzles the parents, it is better not to postpone a visit to a specialist. Let him help you figure it out!
The drawing test “My Family” can be used for children from four to five years of age. The main purpose of the test is to diagnose the internal family relations. In psychological practice, this test is one of the most informative.
Very often, parents evaluate the atmosphere of family relationships positively, while the child perceives it completely differently. In an “innocent” child’s drawing you can clearly see not only psychological state child, unconscious or hidden problems, but also his attitude towards each family member and perception of the family as a whole. Having found out how a child sees his family and his parents, you can effectively help him and try to correct the unfavorable climate in the family.
Exercise
Give your child a sheet of A4 drawing paper, a simple pencil, and an eraser. Ask your child to draw a family, including himself, and also invite him, if he wishes, to add other details to the drawing.
The instructions could be even simpler if you just say: “Draw your family.” This option gives greater freedom, and the drawing itself almost always reflects family relationships as they are in the child’s perception.
When the drawing is completed, you need to ask the child to identify the drawn figures, and to note for yourself the sequence with which the child drew them.
IMPORTANT!
You should not ask your child to draw a family immediately after family quarrels; control or prompt while drawing, as well as discuss the result with someone in front of the child.
In addition to the order in which family members are depicted, it is important to note how hard the child presses the pencil when drawing a particular family member, what is the ratio of the size of the drawing to the size of the sheet, and also how long the child draws.
When interpreting the completed drawing of a family, parents and teachers must also take into account age characteristics your child, the presence or absence of visual skills.
Drawing evaluation
It is best to start evaluating a drawing with test indicators.
Test indicators
(indicators of psychomotor tone)
Pencil pressure
Weak pressure – low self-esteem, sometimes passivity; asthenia, sometimes depression.
Strong pressure – high self-esteem, sometimes impulsiveness, emotional tension.
Very strong pressure (pencil tears paper) – hyperactivity, aggressiveness.
Variable pressure is an indicator of the child’s emotional instability.
The meaning of lines and shading
Broad strokes or strokes, the scale of the image, the absence of preliminary sketches and additional drawings speak of the confidence and determination of the author of the drawing.
An unstable, blurry image containing many distinct intersecting lines indicates increased excitability and hyperactivity of the child.
Lines that are not completed indicate impulsiveness and emotional instability.
Hatching that extends beyond the contours of the figure is an indicator of the child’s emotional tension.
Figure location
The location of the picture at the bottom of the sheet means low self-esteem. Accordingly, if the picture is located at the top of the sheet, we can talk about inflated self-esteem.
Interpretation of the drawing
1. A minimum of details in the drawing indicates the child’s isolation, and an excessive amount of details indicates his hidden anxiety.
2. The family member who causes the greatest anxiety in the child can be drawn either with a very thick line or with a thin, trembling one.
3. The size of the depicted relative, animal or object indicates its significance for the child. For example, a dog or cat that is larger than its parents indicates that the relationship with its parents comes second. If dad is much smaller than mom, then the relationship with mom is paramount for the child.
4. If a child draws himself as small and unattractive, then he currently has low self-esteem; if your own image is large, you can talk about the child’s self-confidence and the makings of a leader. A very small, helpless figurine of a child, placed surrounded by parents, can express the need to care for him.
5. If a child does not draw one of the family members, this may mean a negative attitude towards this person and a complete lack of emotional contact with him.
6. The one whom the child drew closest to his own image is the closest to him. If it is a person, then he is depicted holding hands with a figure corresponding to the child being tested.
7. In a child’s mind, the smartest person has the biggest head.
8. Large wide eyes in a child’s drawing are a sign of a request for help or concern about something. The child draws eyes like dots or slits for a person who, in his opinion, is independent and does not ask for help.
9. A man drawn without ears is a symbol of the fact that he “does not hear” the child or anyone in the family.
10. A person with an open large mouth is perceived by a child as a source of threat. A dash mouth is usually endowed with a person who hides his feelings and is unable to influence others.
11. The more hands a person has, the more powerful he is in the eyes of a child. The more fingers there are, the stronger and more capable the child is.
12. The legs, drawn as if hanging in the air, without support, belong to a person who, in the child’s opinion, has no independent support in life.
13. The absence of arms and legs in a person often indicates a reduced level of intellectual development, and the absence of only legs indicates low self-esteem.
14. The least significant character is usually placed aside from everyone else and has a vague outline of the figure, sometimes erased with an eraser after drawing begins.
The picture indicates the child’s well-being
1. If the child took pleasure in drawing the family.
2. If the figures are depicted in proportional ratio: the relative height of parents and children is observed, according to their age.
3. If the child portrays all family members without exception.
4. If light or minimal shading is used.
5. If all the figures are located on the same level, they are depicted holding hands (some variations in the same sense are possible).
6. If, when coloring a picture, a child chooses bright, rich colors.
The picture reflects warning signs in relationships
1. If a child refuses to draw, this is a sign that unpleasant memories are associated with the family.
2. Excessively large proportions of parents are an indicator of their authoritarianism and desire to command their children.
3. If a child draws himself big, this is an indicator that he is self-oriented, as well as an indicator of confrontation with his parents.
4. Extremely small image the child indicates his low importance in the family.
5. By drawing himself last, the child thereby demonstrates his low status among other family members.
6. If in the picture a child has drawn all the family members except himself, then this indicates a feeling of inferiority or a feeling of lack of community in the family, a decrease in self-esteem, and a suppression of the will to achieve.
7. If a child portrayed only himself, we can talk about the egocentricity inherent in this child, his inherent conviction that all family members are obliged to think only about him, and he does not have to think about any of them.
8. A very small image of all family members is a sign of anxiety, depression, depression.
9. The image of all family members in cells is a sign of alienation and lack of friendship and community in the family.
10. If a child depicts himself with his face covered with his hands, he expresses his reluctance to be in the family.
11. The shaded head (view from the back) of a child means that he is immersed in himself.
12. The image of a large mouth and lips on oneself is a sign of hidden aggression.
13. If the child begins with pictures of legs and feet, this can also be considered a sign of anxiety.
14. An alarming signal is the predominance of dark tones in the drawing: black, brown, gray, purple.
Presence of other parts in the picture
The image of the sun or lighting fixtures is an indicator of the lack of heat in the family.
The image of a carpet, TV and other household items indicates the child’s preference for them.
If a child draws a doll or a dog, this may mean that he is looking for communication with animals and toys due to a lack of warmth in the family.
Clouds, and especially clouds, can be a sign of negative symptoms in a child.
By depicting a house instead of a family, the child shows his reluctance to be in a family.
Color in the drawing
Very often the child shows a desire to color the drawing. In this case, he should be given a box of colored pencils (at least 12 colors) and given complete freedom. What do the colors mean, and what can the additionally colored drawing tell us?
1. Bright, light, rich colors indicate the child’s high vitality and optimism.
2. The predominance of gray and black colors in the drawing emphasizes the lack of cheerfulness and speaks of the child’s fears.
3. If a child has painted himself in one color, and if this color is repeated in the image of another family member, it means that the child has a special sympathy for him.
4. Not using crayons can mean low self-esteem and anxiety.
5. The preference for red tones in the drawing indicates the child’s emotional tension.
Analysis of drawings for the test “My Family”
Veronica, 19 years old
Veronica from prosperous family, but the girl is somewhat withdrawn, and this worries her mother. Therefore, it was decided to conduct testing. When asked to depict her family, Veronica began to draw with desire and very diligently (Fig. 1). She drew her dad first, then her mom, then her little sister, the cat, and lastly herself. Thus, apparently, Veronica evaluates herself as an insignificant member of the family. The family is friendly, as everyone is drawn holding hands and on the same level. The hands of all family members are drawn, and this is also an important indicator of normal intrafamily communication. True, dad keeps his hands in his pockets, which indicates his closed position in the family and some isolation in communication. Everyone’s feet are clearly drawn, which indicates the confidence in the positions of all family members. In general, the drawing turned out to be positive and well reflecting the psychological climate of the family.
Rice. 1. From left to right: cat, father, mother, sister, Veronica
Nikolay, 6 years old
Recently, Nikolai’s mother has been very worried about the behavior of her son, who has stopped listening to her and often shows aggression. In the drawing (Fig. 2), the boy depicted all members of his family separately, which means that the child does not feel mutual understanding and family warmth. The lack of ears for all family members only confirms this. Everyone lives and hears only themselves, ignoring the opinions of others: the ears are the “organ” of perceiving criticism and any opinion of another person about themselves.
Rice. 2. From left to right: brother, dad, mom, Nikolai
But he depicted dad, with a big head and glasses, as the largest, thereby emphasizing his leading role in the family. The head is the most important part of the body, and the smartest member of the family, according to the child, in the picture will certainly be endowed with the largest head. Nikolai drew himself closer to his mother, but taller than her, and this indicates a confrontational relationship with her and an orientation towards himself. The eye is also attracted by the fact that Nikolai depicted himself with a sharply exaggerated hand. Such an image of the hand indicates a high need for communication and that this need is not satisfied. The two-year-old brother is drawn last and at a considerable distance from Nikolai. It is very likely that the appearance of a baby in the family changed the boy’s internal state. Often the older child in this case begins to feel weakened attention to him, gets scared, worried, worried, and jealous. The clouds in the picture also reflect some trouble in the family and the boy’s anxiety.
Projective techniques are the most accurate in psychological diagnostics. The reason for this is the unconscious projection of attitudes and feelings into productive activities. Verbal techniques for adults cannot create an objective picture of relationships in the family due to the awareness of the sociality (desirability) of the results. Therefore, the “family drawing” test for children is one of the most accurate methods for determining family relationships through the eyes of a child.
A family consists of several people and a number of relationships. Each family member has his own place in it, his own sense of how others relate to him and his own attitude towards other members.
The “Family Drawing” test is intended to diagnose family relationships from the child’s perspective. Using a family drawing, you can determine the child’s attitude towards his parents and other relatives, characteristics of self-perception, family problems and sources of psychological discomfort.
Very often, adults think that ideal relationships have been created in the family. But the question is not how they build relationships, but how their children perceive it. Often the perception of family by children and adults not only does not coincide, but is opposite. Parents must understand that no one sets out to “convict” them of bad attitude to the child. A family drawing test will help identify problems at the stage of their emergence, which will help to successfully solve them without waiting for consequences.
The drawing technique can be used from the moment a child begins to learn to draw. Graphic skills are completely unimportant. With the help of simple strokes, details, sizes and locations, the child shows the relationships within the family and his place in it.
The test assumes a complete absence of tension in the child. He should simply draw, completely immersing himself in the process. And for this, it is necessary for the adult to leave the child alone with his work, observing the process from the side (as if going about his business).
This technique is especially productive for middle and older preschoolers, when the child does not yet have the ability to design verbal tasks on paper. He seems to “paint with his soul” and not with logic or instructions. That is why the results obtained using this technique are considered the most reliable.
Diagnostic procedure
The classic version of the test has two parts: drawing and verbal. Carrying out both parts is very important to avoid errors of interpretation.
Materials for research:
- a sheet of white paper (standard A4 sheet);
- six colored pencils: red, black, blue, yellow, green, brown;
- eraser.
Research procedure
Before conducting the study, you need to eliminate all distractions. It is advisable for the child to be alone in the room with the researcher. If this is not possible, then ensure that it is relatively isolated.
The child is given the instruction: “Draw your family.” In this case, in no case should you explain to the child the meaning of the word “family”, since in this case the essence of the technique will be distorted and veiled instructions for drawing will be given.
If the child asks again or tries to clarify the task, then you simply need to repeat the previously stated instructions, without clarification.
Drawing time is not limited. You cannot interfere with the drawing process. The only exception may be to replace the pencil if necessary. Please note that a replacement pencil must be offered in the exact same shade as the one that broke.
When completing a task, the adult records the following features in the protocol:
- Sequence of drawing: where the child started, how the space is filled, and characters change.
- Does the child pause, and when do they occur?
- Does he use an eraser, what details could be corrected?
- Does the child make comments when drawing?
- Are there emotional reactions to certain parts of the image?
- Are there any difficulties in depicting individual parts or characters.
The protocol might look like this:
| Family Drawing Test Study subject: Tanya K., 5 years 4 months. Operating time: 24 minutes. Drawing process
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After finishing drawing, they move on to the verbal part of the diagnosis. The child is asked questions:
- Who is in your drawing?
- Where are they located?
- What are they doing? Who came up with this?
- Are they happy or sad? Why?
- Who is the happiest in the picture? Why?
- Who is the most unfortunate? Why?
The last questions touch on the problems of verbal interpretation of feelings. It should be noted that not every child is able to do this. If the answers are difficult, there is no need to insist.
If it happened that the child did not portray someone from his family, then you need to ask why he did it.
If there are additional details in the drawing (sun, birds, animals), then you need to ask why they were drawn.
After the survey, the child is offered six situations for negative and positive feelings within the family:
- Let's imagine that you were given two tickets to the circus. Who will you invite with you?
- Let's imagine that the whole family is invited to visit, but one of them is sick and must stay home. Who is this?
- Let's imagine that you sculpt from plasticine, but you can't do it. Who will you call for help?
- Let's imagine that you only have N tickets (one less than family members) to the cinema. Who will stay at home?
- Let's imagine that you are on a desert island. Who would you like to be there with?
- Let's imagine that you were given an interesting game. You sat down to play, but there is one extra person. Who won't play?
All answers are recorded in the protocol. They will help determine the correct interpretation of a child's drawing.
Processing of results and their interpretation
To process the results, the psychologist must have the following information:
- Age of the child;
- The exact composition of his family, including the general composition and those family members with whom he lives.
- Information about the characteristics of the child’s behavior: activity, emotionality, aggressiveness, etc.
Analysis of the figure consists of several parts:
- Analysis of the structure of the drawing.
- Analysis of graphics features.
- Analysis of the drawing creation process.
Analysis of the structure of the family drawing and comparison of the composition in the drawing with the real composition
A fact of psychological desirability is drawing complete family- This is a sign of family well-being. But this does not always happen. Distortion of the real composition should attract the attention of the psychologist. You need to know that such situations can also occur due to the lack of contact between the psychologist and the child. Let's consider options for distorting the structure in the family picture (Table 1).
Table 1. Options for distorting family structure
| Image | Explanation | Result |
| People are not depicted at all Strangers are depicted |
Avoidance of family-related tasks | Psychotrauma in the family; Feeling rejected; High level of anxiety Autism |
| Reducing family size (“forgot” to draw) |
The desire to avoid negative reactions associated with a specific family member | Internal conflict with this family member. Competition situation (usually siblings or step-family member) |
| Drawing animals instead of family members | The desire to reduce the importance of family members, transferring them from human status to another. | The child tries to reduce the influence and importance of these people in the family. |
| Not drawing yourself Drawing only yourself instead of your family |
Lack of sense of unity with family | Rejection and rejection of one's own family |
| Increasing family size | Dissatisfaction with family relationships | Need for communication |
It is very important for a psychologist to find out specific images that are absent, present or replaced. This is very important. Since these are the people who can be a source of psychological discomfort.
Analysis of graphic indicators:
- Characteristics of figures
The largest figure is the most important and authoritative for the child. As a rule, this object is carefully drawn. The most unimportant member of the family is drawn sketchily or carelessly. If the figure is large, but without drawing details, then this means that the relationship with this relative is tense, although he is important in the family.
- Arrangement of figures
The figures can be close, very close, optimally and far away from each other. Being too close to someone indicates control over the child. The optimal distance with the presence of movements indicates a normal close relationship. The farther the people in the picture are from each other, the more distant their contacts in life. The presence of barrier objects between the figures indicates difficulty in communication.
- Selecting the closest person
The child draws this figure first; it is larger than others and is carefully drawn.
- Identification of the source of anxiety in the family
Such a character stands out with strong shading or pressure on the pencil. Usually, when drawing this way, the pencil may break. Often the opposite phenomenon can be observed, when the figure is drawn vaguely, almost schematically, as if the child is trying to hide this character from the family.
Exercise
IMPORTANT!
Drawing evaluation
Test indicators
Pencil pressure
The meaning of lines and shading
Figure location
Interpretation of the drawing
1. If a child refuses to draw, this is a sign that unpleasant memories are associated with the family.
2. Excessively large proportions of parents are an indicator of their authoritarianism and desire to command their children.
3. If a child draws himself big, this is an indicator that he is self-oriented, as well as an indicator of confrontation with his parents.
4. An extremely small image of a child indicates his low importance in the family.
5. By drawing himself last, the child thereby demonstrates his low status among other family members.
6. If in the picture a child has drawn all the family members except himself, then this indicates a feeling of inferiority or a feeling of lack of community in the family, a decrease in self-esteem, and a suppression of the will to achieve.
7. If a child portrayed only himself, we can talk about the egocentricity inherent in this child, his inherent conviction that all family members are obliged to think only about him, and he does not have to think about any of them.
8. A very small image of all family members is a sign of anxiety, depression, depression.
9. The image of all family members in cells is a sign of alienation and lack of friendship and community in the family.
10. If a child depicts himself with his face covered with his hands, he expresses his reluctance to be in the family.
11. The shaded head (view from the back) of a child means that he is immersed in himself.
12. The image of a large mouth and lips on oneself is a sign of hidden aggression.
13. If a child starts with pictures of legs and feet, this can also be considered a sign of anxiety.
14. An alarming signal is the predominance of dark tones in the drawing: black, brown, gray, purple.
Color in the drawing
Very often the child shows a desire to color the drawing. In this case, he should be given a box of colored pencils (at least 12 colors) and given complete freedom. What do the colors mean, and what can the additionally colored drawing tell us?
1. Bright, light, saturated colors indicate the child’s high vitality and optimism.
2. The predominance of gray and black colors in the drawing emphasizes the lack of cheerfulness and speaks of the child’s fears.
3. If a child has painted himself in one color, and if this color is repeated in the image of another family member, it means that the child has a special sympathy for him.
4. Not using crayons can mean low self-esteem and anxiety.
5. The preference for red tones in the drawing indicates the child’s emotional tension.
Veronica, 19 years old
Veronica comes from a prosperous family, but the girl is somewhat withdrawn, and this worries her mother. Therefore, it was decided to conduct testing. When asked to depict her family, Veronica began to draw with desire and very diligently (Fig. 1). She drew her dad first, then her mom, then her little sister, the cat, and lastly herself. Thus, apparently, Veronica evaluates herself as an insignificant member of the family. The family is friendly, as everyone is drawn holding hands and on the same level. The hands of all family members are drawn, and this is also an important indicator of normal intrafamily communication. True, dad keeps his hands in his pockets, which indicates his closed position in the family and some isolation in communication. Everyone’s feet are clearly drawn, which indicates the confidence in the positions of all family members. In general, the drawing turned out to be positive and well reflecting the psychological climate of the family.
Rice. 1. From left to right: cat, father, mother, sister, Veronica
Nikolay, 6 years old
Recently, Nikolai’s mother has been very worried about the behavior of her son, who has stopped listening to her and often shows aggression. In the drawing (Fig. 2), the boy depicted all members of his family separately, which means that the child does not feel mutual understanding and family warmth. The lack of ears for all family members only confirms this. Everyone lives and hears only themselves, ignoring the opinions of others: the ears are the “organ” of perceiving criticism and any opinion of another person about themselves.
Rice. 2. From left to right: brother, dad, mom, Nikolai
But he depicted dad, with a big head and glasses, as the largest, thereby emphasizing his leading role in the family. The head is the most important part of the body, and the smartest member of the family, according to the child, in the picture will certainly be endowed with the largest head. Nikolai drew himself closer to his mother, but taller than her, and this indicates a confrontational relationship with her and an orientation towards himself. The eye is also attracted by the fact that Nikolai depicted himself with a sharply exaggerated hand. Such an image of the hand indicates a high need for communication and that this need is not satisfied. The two-year-old brother is drawn last and at a considerable distance from Nikolai. It is very likely that the appearance of a baby in the family changed the boy’s internal state. Often the older child in this case begins to feel weakened attention to him, gets scared, worried, worried, and jealous. The clouds in the picture also reflect some trouble in the family and the boy’s anxiety.
Exercise
To complete the test you will need a sheet of paper, a pencil, and an eraser. Ask the test taker to draw an animal that has never existed in nature. When the drawing is ready, ask the following questions: where does this animal live, what does it eat, what does it like most, what is it most afraid of?
Pencil pressure
Weak pressure – asthenia; passivity; Sometimes depressive state.
Strong pressure – emotional tension; rigidity; impulsiveness.
Extra-strong pressure (pencil tears paper) – conflict; hyperactivity; sometimes aggressiveness, acute agitation.
Features of lines
Dashed lines – anxiety as a personality trait.
Multiple lines – anxiety as a state at the time of examination; stressful state; sometimes impulsive.
Sketch lines - the desire to control your anxiety, to control yourself.
Missing lines that do not hit the right point - impulsiveness; organic brain damage.
Lines that are not completed are asthenia, sometimes impulsivity.
Distortion of the shape of lines – organic brain damage; impulsiveness; sometimes mental illness.
Animal type
Based on the typology of images of non-existent animals, we can note the most common of them.
1. The subject depicts a real-life animal and calls it by a real name, and the description of its lifestyle corresponds to reality. For example, a cat is drawn and the cat’s lifestyle is described. Such an image may be considered the norm for a five- to six-year-old child, but for teenagers and adults it may indicate a low level of imagination.
2. An extinct animal that once existed is drawn, for example a dinosaur, mammoth, etc.
3. Draw an image of an animal that exists in culture, but does not exist in nature, for example, a dragon, a mermaid, etc. Drawings depicting extinct animals, as well as drawings depicting existing ones in culture, are the norm for children 8–9 years old. For adults, such a drawing of an animal indicates his low general cultural level and poverty of imagination.
4. A drawing of a non-existent animal is usually constructed from parts of different real animals: the body of a crocodile, the limbs of a monkey, the head of a hare, etc. Such an animal may have, for example, the name Krokozai. Such an image of an animal is more typical of rationalists rather than creative people.
5. Sometimes the image of animals has a humanoid appearance. This indicates a strong need for communication, which is usually characteristic of teenagers - 13-17 years old.
6.The animal depicted consists of various mechanical parts. Such an animal is usually depicted by people with out-of-the-box thinking and approach to life.
7. An intricate, complex and original image of an animal, the image of which has not a composite, but an integral structure, with a difficult or unidentifiable resemblance to any really existing (existing) animal, is characteristic of a person with a well-developed, rich creative imagination.
Components of an animal
Eyes
No eyes – asthenia.
The eyes are empty, without pupils and irises - asthenia, fears.
Eyes with a blackened iris - fears.
Eyes with eyelashes - a demonstrative manner of behavior, the importance of one’s opinion about oneself.
Eyes with drawn blood vessels - hypochondria, a neurotic state.
The shape of the eyes is distorted - a neurotic condition.
Ears
Big ears – interest in information, in some cases suspicion, anxiety.
Lack of ears - isolation, reluctance to come into contact with others, to hear other people's opinions.
Mouth
A mouth slightly open in combination with the tongue: without drawing the lips - greater speech activity, with drawing the lips - sensuality.
The mouth is open and blackened - ease of apprehension and fear, in some cases mistrust, anxiety.
Mouth with teeth or fangs - verbal aggression, in some cases defensive.
Head
An enlarged head is an assessment of one’s own and those around him’s erudition.
The head is absent - impulsiveness, in some cases mental illness.
Two or more heads - conflicting desires, internal conflict.
The shape of the head is distorted - organic brain damage, in some cases mental illness.
Additional details on the head
Feathers are a tendency towards embellishment and self-justification.
Horns – protection, aggression.
A mane, a similarity to a hairstyle, is sensuality, in some cases emphasizing one’s gender.
Figure
Many components and elements are powerful energy.
A small number of components and elements – energy saving, asthenia.
A figure consisting of sharp angles is aggressive. A circular figure means secrecy, isolation, closeness of one’s inner world.
Additional details and parts of the figure
Scales, shell - the need for protection.
Thorns, needles – defensive aggression.
Body covered thick hair, – the significance of the sexual sphere.
The pattern on the skin is demonstrative.
Wounds, scars are a neurotic condition.
Built-in mechanical parts – introversion, difficulties in communication.
Cutting, piercing or chopping weapons – aggressiveness.
Wings – romanticism, daydreaming, a tendency to compensatory fantasy.
Internal organs, blood vessels - hypochondria, neurotic condition, in some cases mental illness.
genitals, female breast, udder – high importance of the sexual sphere.
Tail
The tail turned to the right is an attitude towards one’s actions and behavior.
The tail turned to the left is an attitude towards your thoughts and decisions.
A tail raised up is a positive, confident coloration of this relationship.
A tail hanging down is a negative connotation of relationships.
The tail is thick - the significance of the sexual sphere.
The tail is thick and covered with hair - a very high significance of the sexual sphere.
A beautiful tail, for example, a peacock, is demonstrative.
Legs
The absence of legs, their insufficient number - passivity or ineptitude in social relationships.
Excessive number of legs – the need for support.
Thick, large legs - a feeling of insufficient skill in social relationships, the need for support.
The nature of the connection of the legs with the figure (body)
Drawn carefully - the ability to control your reasoning, conclusions, decisions.
Carelessly drawn, weak or no connection of the legs with the figure – lack of control.
Description of lifestyle
Corresponds to the picture - logical thinking is developed.
Does not correspond to the picture - in some cases a violation logical thinking.
With idealization and embellishment - a tendency to compensatory fantasy.
Animal's place of life
Abroad, islands, subtropics (Bali, Cyprus) – demonstrativeness.
Isolated (space, another planet, cave, well, forest, etc.) – a feeling of loneliness.
A difficult to reach place (impenetrable forest, dense thicket of trees, etc.) – the need for protection, in some cases, fear of aggression.
Emotionally unpleasant (swamp, mud, mud, etc.) is a neurotic state.
Nutrition
Does not feed on anything or feeds on air, news, energy - introversion.
Eating everything - impulsiveness.
Eats inedible things (nails, sticks, stones, etc.) – communication disorders.
Eating emotionally unpleasant food (mucus, dust, cockroaches, etc.) is a neurotic state.
Feeds on the blood and organs of living beings (stomach, brain, etc.) – neurotic aggression.
Feeds on people – negativism, aggressiveness.
Activities, games
Breaks something (fence, trees, etc.) – aggressiveness, negativism, in some cases mental illness.
Likes to sleep a lot - asthenic state, accumulated fatigue.
Plays, walks, has fun - a projection of his desires.
Busy looking for food - a feeling of difficulties in life.
Doesn't like to sit idle - impulsiveness.
Walking upside down is a symbol of breaking the established order, going beyond ordinary standards, or the desire to do so.
Tatyana, 35 years old
Tatyana is a pretty, charming, slender woman. He takes great care of himself, dresses fashionably, does business, and often goes on business trips to Moscow, Rostov and other cities; spends his holidays abroad. She comes for consultations mainly on business issues, but the main problem for her is the lack of love for her husband, with whom she has lived for more than 16 years. He dreams of breaking out of the vicious circle, but it doesn’t work out. This is clearly visible in Tatyana’s drawing (Fig. 3).
She named her animal the European Glamorous Wingcat. The animal vaguely resembles the author of the drawing and reflects her main problem – sexual. An excessively fluffy, thick and raised tail, as well as a chest densely covered with hair, speak, or rather, “scream” about the importance of the sexual sphere in a woman’s life and at the same time indicate trouble in this area. A completely blackened iris of the eye is an indicator of internal fear - a woman is afraid to imagine how her life could turn out without her husband, and is generally afraid of changes in life. Wingcat's wings are nothing more than Tatyana's protective fantasy: her escape from personal problems into the created fantasy world.
Rice. 3. European glamorous Wingcat
This is how Tatyana describes the lifestyle of her non-existent animal:
The European glamorous Wingcat lives in Europe, in extremely glamorous places - Paris, Milan, Nice, but individual individuals are found in Krasnodar, Moscow, Rostov. Prefers an idle and cheerful lifestyle. By nature he is sociable, cheerful, friendly, but is difficult to tame and is very independent. It reproduces rarely; it selects a pair meticulously, carefully and leisurely. He eats sweets and news, loves travel and new experiences.
This kind of fantasy desire - to escape to “glamorous” lands and find freedom, eating “sweets and news”, also shows Tatyana’s inner need to escape from reality.
Vadim, 50 years old
Vadim has been living with his wife for more than 25 years, but family life did not work out, and now he increasingly has a desire to change it, starting to live independently, separately. However, circumstances do not yet allow this to be done. Vadim is a soft person by nature and therefore has a particularly difficult time withstanding his wife’s aggressive behavior. Has great energy potential.
The animal was drawn by Vadim based on the original model (Fig. 4). It is generally devoid of organs that ensure communication - ears, mouth - and has a completely closed figure, which indicates introversion and difficulties in communication. Vadim named his animal Amikrabos, providing it with many legs for movement and covering it with scales; all this is an indicator that Vadim has a great need for support, protection, and is afraid of aggression. In addition, partially blackened scales indicate the author’s low resistance to stress.
Fig.4. Amikrabos
Vadim's drawing is accompanied by the following story:
The animal is warm-blooded. Mixed habitat: water and land. Lives in the tropics and subtropics. It feeds on plants and reproduces by division. The method of movement is impulse, energetic.
The indication that the animal is warm-blooded speaks of Vadim’s desire to have warmth, family, and thereby be like others. “The method of movement is impulsive, energetic” - evidence of the difficulties in Vadim’s life, which he hides so carefully and to overcome (or resist) which he has to spend a lot of energy.
Irina, 54 years old
A short woman with a friendly and sweet smile on her face. Has two higher education; I received the second, medical, only a year ago. Now she doesn’t know why she needs it and doesn’t understand why she studied for so many years. At the same time, she is firmly convinced that her destiny lies in “eternal learning.” Her life consists of a series of fateful actions and plans with the help of which she wants to escape from reality. In my opinion, this is a kind of program for saving your own soul, just the case when we say: “Help yourself.”
The fact is that, having lived with her husband for 27 years, Irina unexpectedly learned about the existence of his second family: while married to her, her husband simultaneously lived with a young woman and his children. Nevertheless, Irina was able to forgive him and continue to live with him. It was her choice; why such a situation took place is another matter. Let's try to figure it out from the picture (Fig. 5).
If you look at this non-existent animal, it seems to be quite cute in appearance, if not for the distorted shape of the head and “hook hands”, similar to bird legs.
Irina named her non-existent animal Mihotron. In my opinion, the name resembles some kind of mechanism, and the drawing of the animal itself is an unusual mechanical bear. Most likely, Irina’s life reminds her of a life of inertia, similar to some kind of mechanism, far from the world of feelings and love. Limbs directed towards the body indicate introversion, claws indicate aggression, and an open mouth without teeth or tongue indicates the ease of fears and fears arising in her life. The irises of the eyes, partially blackened, only confirm the presence of fear in the author of the drawing.
This is what Irina says about her Mihotron:
The animal lives in the forest, reproduces by budding [very strange for an animal, isn’t it?]. He loves acorn porridge, which the gnome cooks for him. Afraid of sudden noises. Loves to play hide and seek.
Fig.5. Mihotron
The story only confirms Irina’s inner fear and anxiety about the future, indicates some nervousness and withdrawal from reality, but, nevertheless, reveals to us the woman’s very real desires. For example, the expectation of care and attention. Her animal “loves the acorn porridge that the gnome cooks for him.” The fact that Mihotron is afraid of sharp noises indicates Irina’s fatigue and possible nervous exhaustion. According to Irina herself, she is tired of everything. But the fact that her Mihotron likes to play hide and seek means, oddly enough, another game of Irina with fate: now she is drawing up documents for America for permanent residence there.
Dasha, 13 years old
The girl looks calm, shy and quiet.
The drawing (Fig. 6) is located at the bottom of the sheet, which indicates the girl’s low self-esteem and her experiences. Multiple lines indicate anxiety in a seemingly calm teenager. Three eyes are heavily blackened - an indicator of fear sitting deep in the soul. The many legs, which are the supporting part of the animal, and the nature of their connection with the figure show that the girl is able to control her reasoning and actions.
Fig.6. Three Eyes
Dasha describes the lifestyle of this animal as follows:
Three Eyes lives in South Africa. It usually feeds on fish, but when hungry, it can eat anything. He is very afraid of his rivals - sharks and whales. He loves to swim on the bottom and hates sitting idle.
He has no friends because he is too kind (others don't like it).
Dasha's story clearly shows a depressive mood (“He has no friends because he is too kind”), fear (“He is very afraid of his rivals”) and a strong need for emotional warmth (“Three-Eyes lives in South Africa”). In addition, one can assume unfavorable environment(“He loves to swim on the bottom”). A child’s story about an animal almost always reflects what actually happens to him in life and, knowing how important communication with peers is for a teenager, one can now imagine how difficult life is for Dasha. The girl's drawing and story showed that she needed psychological help.
Psychological drawing test “My Family”
The drawing test “My Family” can be used for children from four to five years of age. The main purpose of the test is to diagnose intra-family relationships. In psychological practice, this test is one of the most informative.
Very often, parents evaluate the atmosphere of family relationships positively, while the child perceives it completely differently. In an “innocent” child’s drawing, one can clearly see not only the child’s psychological state, unconscious or hidden problems, but also his attitude towards each family member and the perception of the family as a whole. Having found out how a child sees his family and his parents, you can effectively help him and try to correct the unfavorable climate in the family.
Exercise
Give your child a sheet of A4 drawing paper, a simple pencil, and an eraser. Ask your child to draw a family, including himself, and also invite him, if he wishes, to add other details to the drawing.
The instructions could be even simpler if you just say: “Draw your family.” This option gives greater freedom, and the drawing itself almost always reflects family relationships as they are in the child’s perception.
When the drawing is completed, you need to ask the child to identify the drawn figures, and to note for yourself the sequence with which the child drew them.
IMPORTANT!
You should not ask your child to draw a family immediately after family quarrels; control or prompt while drawing, as well as discuss the result with someone in front of the child.
In addition to the order in which family members are depicted, it is important to note how hard the child presses the pencil when drawing a particular family member, what is the ratio of the size of the drawing to the size of the sheet, and also how long the child draws.
When interpreting a family drawing, parents and teachers also need to take into account the age characteristics of their child, the presence or absence of visual skills.
Drawing evaluation
It is best to start evaluating a drawing with test indicators.
Test indicators
(indicators of psychomotor tone)
Pencil pressure
Weak pressure – low self-esteem, sometimes passivity; asthenia, sometimes depression.
Strong pressure – high self-esteem, sometimes impulsiveness, emotional tension.
Very strong pressure (pencil tears paper) – hyperactivity, aggressiveness.
Variable pressure is an indicator of the child’s emotional instability.
The meaning of lines and shading
Broad strokes or strokes, the scale of the image, the absence of preliminary sketches and additional drawings speak of the confidence and determination of the author of the drawing.
An unstable, blurry image containing many distinct intersecting lines indicates increased excitability and hyperactivity of the child.
Lines that are not completed indicate impulsiveness and emotional instability.
Hatching that extends beyond the contours of the figure is an indicator of the child’s emotional tension.
Figure location
The location of the picture at the bottom of the sheet means low self-esteem. Accordingly, if the picture is located at the top of the sheet, we can talk about inflated self-esteem.
Interpretation of the drawing
1. A minimum of details in the drawing indicates the child’s isolation, and an excessive amount of details indicates his hidden anxiety.
2. The family member who causes the greatest anxiety in the child can be drawn either with a very thick line or with a thin, trembling one.
3. The size of the depicted relative, animal or object indicates its significance for the child. For example, a dog or cat that is larger than its parents indicates that the relationship with its parents comes second. If dad is much smaller than mom, then the relationship with mom is paramount for the child.
4. If a child draws himself as small and unattractive, then he currently has low self-esteem; if your own image is large, you can talk about the child’s self-confidence and the makings of a leader. A very small, helpless figurine of a child, placed surrounded by parents, can express the need to care for him.
5. If a child does not draw one of the family members, this may mean a negative attitude towards this person and a complete lack of emotional contact with him.
6. The one whom the child drew closest to his own image is the closest to him. If it is a person, then he is depicted holding hands with a figure corresponding to the child being tested.
7. In a child’s mind, the smartest person has the biggest head.
8. Large wide eyes in a child’s drawing are a sign of a request for help or concern about something. The child draws eyes like dots or slits for a person who, in his opinion, is independent and does not ask for help.
9. A man drawn without ears is a symbol of the fact that he “does not hear” the child or anyone in the family.
10. A person with an open large mouth is perceived by a child as a source of threat. A dash mouth is usually endowed with a person who hides his feelings and is unable to influence others.
11. The more hands a person has, the more powerful he is in the eyes of a child. The more fingers there are, the stronger and more capable the child is.
12. The legs, drawn as if hanging in the air, without support, belong to a person who, in the child’s opinion, has no independent support in life.
13. The absence of arms and legs in a person often indicates a reduced level of intellectual development, and the absence of only legs indicates low self-esteem.
14. The least significant character is usually placed aside from everyone else and has a vague outline of the figure, sometimes erased with an eraser after drawing begins.
The picture indicates the child’s well-being
1. If the child took pleasure in drawing the family.
2. If the figures are depicted in proportion: the relative height of parents and children is observed, according to their age.
3. If the child portrays all family members without exception.
4. If light or minimal shading is used.
5. If all the figures are located on the same level, they are depicted holding hands (some variations in the same sense are possible).
6. If, when coloring a picture, a child chooses bright, rich colors.
The picture reflects warning signs in relationships
At interpretations of family drawings psychologists always pay special attention to those cases when more or fewer family members are drawn than they actually are (for example, a dad is depicted who is not there, or, on the contrary, an older brother is not drawn).The absence of one of the family members in the picture means either the presence of unconscious negative feelings to this person, or the lack of emotional contact with this character - it is as if he is not in the inner world of the subject. If a person does not draw himself in a picture of his family, then this indicates the difficulties of self-expression in relationships with loved ones (I am not noticed in the family, it is difficult for me to find my place in it). Also, the absence of the author of the drawing in the drawing means indifference to loved ones (I don’t strive to be with them, they don’t bother me).
For interpretation of a family drawing The space of the sheet, which is analogous to the living space of a person, is important.Just like in real life, in the plane of the sheet, each person unconsciously strives to occupy as much space for himself and the products of his activity as he, in his opinion, deserves. In other words, if he has low self-esteem, then he takes up little space in real world and, drawing on a piece of paper, will take up only a small part of it. On the contrary, people are confident, well-adjusted, draw freely, on a grand scale, and can take up the entire sheet.
Location families on drawing is also important when interpretations. If a person depicts his family in the lower half of the sheet, then this indicates not only his low self-esteem, but also a low level of life aspirations and ambitions. That is, if the family plot is located at the bottom of the sheet, then this means the following: “even the little that I pretend to do, I can’t do.” If a small image is placed at the top of the sheet, and the large lower part of the sheet is empty, this indicates that the subject’s low self-esteem is combined with a high level of his aspirations: “I want a lot of things in life, but I won’t get much.”
It happens that a person draws some inanimate objects together with his family, and perhaps depicts them instead of the family. For example, instead of people, a house without doors, a garage and a fence connecting them can be drawn, but family members are not depicted at all. It is implied that they are all located somewhere inside the drawn house. In such cases, when interpretation of family drawing psychologists draw the following conclusions. The replacement of the family with inanimate objects shows that the closed world of the house without doors seems to be the largest family value. The fact that there are no family members in the picture indicates a lack of emotional contact with them. The absence of the author of the drawing suggests that he does not see a place for himself in this world. Undrawn doors indicate that the subject has difficulty opening up to others, especially in the home circle. The presence of buildings (fence, garage) indicates aggression against the actual owners of the house or rebellion against what the subject considers artificial cultural standards.
At interpretation of family drawing psychologists also note the importance of how characters are portrayed. Their size, the delineation of facial features (eyes, nose, mouth, etc.), the size and shape of arms, legs, etc.The size of the depicted character or object expresses its meaning for the author of the drawing and shows what place in his soul the relationship with this character occupies at a given moment in time. Size is used to express importance, fear and respect. Large size heads means intelligence, accordingly, the author considers the “smartest” member of the family to be the one for whom he drew the largest head. A large and/or shaded mouth is a symbol of aggression and attack. If a person’s mouth is missing or depicted as a dot, then this person does not have the right to express his opinion and influence others. The more powerful a character is perceived to be, the larger his hand. The absence of hands is an indicator of shyness, passivity; hidden hands express a feeling of guilt. Exaggerated hand size, prominence of the hands and fingers - indicates a tendency towards aggression.
The image in the drawing of a character who does not officially belong to the family (for example, a member of a related family, a family friend, etc.) speaks of unmet needs in relation to this character. The subject realizes these desires in his fantasy, in imaginary communication with a given person. The same tendency is indicated by the presence of a fictional (for example, fairy-tale) character.
Also when interpretation of family drawing great value has the location of characters on the paper space. 
According to the principle of vertical hierarchy, the highest in the picture is the character who, in the opinion of its author, has the greatest power in the family (although he may be the smallest in linear size). Below everyone is the one whose power in the family is minimal. The distance between characters (linear distance) is associated with psychological distance. Who is closest to the subject? psychologically, he depicts him closer to himself spatially. The same applies to other characters: whom this person perceives them as close to each other, those he will draw next to each other. Also, the characters who are in direct contact with each other in the drawing (for example, with their hands) are in equally close psychological contact. Characters who are not touching do not have such contact.
The character or object that causes the greatest anxiety in the subject is depicted either with increased pressure, or is heavily shaded, or its outline is circled several times. But in some cases it may be outlined by a very thin, trembling line. The author seems hesitant to portray him.Characters with large, dilated eyes are perceived by the author as anxious, restless, and in need of being saved. Characters with “dot” and “slit” eyes carry an internal “prohibition on crying,” that is, they are afraid to ask for help. The larger the area of support at the feet, the more firmly the character is perceived as standing on the ground. Absence of feet, small, unsteady legs are a sign of insecurity, instability, lack of a strong foundation, lack of a basic sense of security. If the characters in the picture are depicted in one row, you need to mentally draw a horizontal line along the lowest point of the legs. Then only those people who “stand” on this line have support in reality. The rest, “hanging in the air,” according to the subject, do not have independent support in life.
The “Family Drawing” technique is easy to use, helps to establish good emotional contact, 
accessible to persons with reduced intelligence. Its use is especially productive in preschool and junior school age when children often have difficulty expressing their feelings and thoughts. At the same time, this technique and the rules for its interpretation can be successfully used in working with adults. The technique is significant not only for diagnosing interpersonal relationships in the family, but also for choosing tactics for psychological correction and psychotherapy of disturbed family relationships.