The relationship of human figure drawings to aggressive behavior in preschool children

Abstract

The adequacy of the Human Figure Drawing (HFD) as a diagnostic instrument for differentiating aggressive and nonaggressive behavior in 4-to 5-year-old children was examined. Two groups of children, an aggressive group (n = 16) and a nonaggressive group (n = 16), were formed on the basis of teacher ratings on the Child Behavior Checklist. The groups were compared across seven indicators from the Koppitz (1968) HFD system hypothesized to identify aggressive children. Additionally, 10 clinical judges attempted to sort the drawings into the two groups (aggressive and non-aggressive) based on their own experience with HFDs. It was found that the HFD, whether scored by the Koppitz system or by clinical raters, was not a valid instrument for differentiating aggressive and nonaggressive children in this age group. The probable reason for the inadequacy of the HFD as a measure of maladjustment in preschool-age children is that their lack of developmental maturity in cognition and in visual-motor coordination impacts their drawing capabilities. Implications of these findings for the use of HFDs with 4- and 5-year-old children are discussed.