Representation of children attachment styles in corman’s instruction of family drawing

Abstract

Corman’s family drawing assessment was evaluated as a measure of different attachment styles in children; specifically not and whether children’s attachment style is represented in their family drawing. Corman’s method (1967) of family drawing comprises precise instructions that children can use to represent their desires about their family and life in a drawing. Using multi stage random cluster sampling, 590 students were selected to complete the Attachment Style Classification Questionnaire (Finzi et al., 2000). They were also asked to draw a family using Corman’s instructions. Data analysis was performed using two statistical methods (Pearson and Spearman correlational coefficient). The results showed that an increased level of secure attachment led to lower levels of evaluation of parents, devaluation of parents, omission of self and dissimilarity to one’s real family and higher levels of identification with parents (p˂0.05). Also as avoidant attachment increased, evaluation of parents, self-evaluation and proximity to one’s parents decreased and devaluation of parents, omission of parents and dissimilarity to one’s real family increased (p˂0.05). Also increased anxious attachment led to less omission of parents and less representation of dissimilarity to one’s real family and more evaluation of parents, distance from parents and identification with parents (p˂0.05). Finally, the findings of this research showed that Corman’s instructions can be a suitable tool to measure different types of attachment.