Development, Validity and Reliability of the Art Drawing House-Tree-Person (AD-HTP) Module among the Counselors in Malaysia

Abstract

This descriptive study is aimed at examining the validity and reliability of the Art Drawing House-Tree-Person Module (AD-HTP) Among the Counselors in Malaysia. This module is developed based on nine (9) main AD-HTP principles: 1) There is no 100% accuracy in AD-HTP, 2) HTP method is derived from clinical psychology, 3) HTP method can be used on individuals with modest problems and healthy individuals, 4) Do not judge clients, 5) AD-HTP practitioners cannot put on any values, 6) The most accurate AD-HTP interpretation is the clients’ own validation, confession and sharing, 7) AD-HTP is an intuitive therapy, 8) you determine your own choice and fate and 9) Understand AD-HTP interpretation and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) interventions. This module emphasizes on the concept of projective drawing techniques. Projective drawing is a technique that demonstrates one's feelings and thoughts through symbols in the form of drawings. In projective drawings, symbols illustrated such as home, tree, person and other elements are the key themes that can describe the attitudes, feelings, concerns and conflicts that one dynamically and continuously experienced. The AD-HTP module has six main strategies, namely Strategy 1: Introduction of House-Tree-Person (HTP), Nature and Human Concept and AD-HTP Related Questions, Strategy 2: General Interpretation, Specific Structure and Form of HTP, Strategy 3: Symbolic Interpretation of the House, Strategy 4: Symbolic Interpretation of the Tree, Strategy 5: Symbolic Interpretation of the Person and Strategy 6: Kinetic Interpretations of Other Symbols and Application of AD-HTP Counseling/ Guidance Sessions. To test the validity of the content, 15 expert panels composed of psychologists, counselors and educators were selected to answer the questionnaire on content validity of the module based on Russell (1974) and questionnaire on validity on session and activity based on Mohammad Aziz Shah (2010). Next, 78 respondents of the Malaysian counselors took the pilot test in order to obtain reliability value. The findings of the content validity of the module based on Russell (1974) was 0.83 (83.44%) and the session and activity appropriateness validity value based on Mohammad Aziz Shah (2010) was 0.88 (88.26%). The reliability value of the overall module is high which is 0.84. The findings show that Art Drawing House-Tree-Person (AD-HTP) Modules among the Counselors in Malaysia have high content validity and reliability values and prove that the AD-HTP Module is suitable for finding talents, potentials, obstacles, problems and trauma in aspects of dreams, self-concepts, relationships and kinship.