Usefulness of the Child Diagnostic Drawing Series within the Child Witness to Domestic Violence Population

Abstract

The use of a new art therapy assessment tool, The Child Diagnostic Drawing Series, (CDDS), is explored for it's usefulness in the application to children witness to domestic violence. It is hypothesized that trends in the graphic profiles of this population will emerge. These trends are demonstrated with the use of the case study of Matthew. Matthew's drawing series illustrates several features that have been statistically correlated to dissociative children in the trauma and abuse population. Should this tool prove to be statistically valid and reliable in the studies currently underway the CDDS may become a tool in the assessment of childhood dissociation that can be applied across the clinical spectrum. Such an application will have a very positive impact on the profession of Art Therapy as well as serve to create better recognition of this often overlooked childhood disorder.