The test can be taken by both adults and children, perhaps a group examination. The subject is asked to draw a house, a tree and a person (DDCH). Further, a survey is built according to the location of the elements and their characteristics. R. Berne, when using the DCF test, suggests drawing a house, a tree and a person in one drawing, occurring in one scene. The scientist believes that the interaction between these objects is a visual metaphor. If you put the whole drawing into action, then it is quite possible to notice what is really happening in our lives.

Material: pencil or pen, a sheet of standard size paper (A4).

Instruction. Draw a picture on a piece of paper that includes 3 objects - a house, a tree and a person.

Interpretation of features

A special way of interpretation may be the order in which the drawing of the house, the tree, and the person is done. If a tree is drawn first, then the main thing for a person is life energy. If the house is drawn first, then in the first place is safety, success, or, conversely, the neglect of these concepts. Now let's look at each component individually.

"House "

The house is old and dilapidated. Sometimes the subject in this way can express an attitude towards himself.
Home away - feeling rejected (rejected)
House near - openness, accessibility and (or) a feeling of warmth and hospitality.
Plan of the house (projection from above) instead of the house itself - a serious conflict
Miscellaneous buildings - aggression directed against the actual owner of the house or rebellion against what the subject considers artificial and cultural standards.
The shutters are closed. The subject is able to adapt to interpersonal relationships.
Steps leading to a blank wall (without doors) are a reflection of a conflict situation that harms a correct assessment of reality, the inaccessibility of the subject (although he himself may desire free cordial communication).

Walls

The back wall, located unusually, is a conscious attempt at self-control, an adaptation to conventions, but at the same time there are strong hostile tendencies.
The outline of the back wall is significantly thicker (brighter) than the other details. The subject seeks to maintain (not lose) contact with reality.
The wall, the absence of its base is a weak contact with reality (if the drawing is placed below).
Wall with an accentuated outline of the base. The subject tries to force out conflicting tendencies, experiences difficulties, anxiety.
A wall with an accentuated horizontal dimension is a poor orientation in time (the dominance of the past or the future). Perhaps the subject is very sensitive to environmental pressure.
A wall with a side contour that is too thin and inadequate is a premonition (threat) of disaster.
Against the wall, the contours of the line are too accentuated - a conscious desire to maintain control.
Wall in 1D perspective - only one side is shown. If it is a side wall, there are serious tendencies towards alienation and opposition.
Transparent walls - unconscious attraction, the need to influence (own, organize) the situation as much as possible.
A wall with an accentuated vertical dimension - the subject seeks pleasure primarily in fantasies and has less contact with reality than is desirable.

doors

Their absence - the subject has difficulty in trying to open up to others (especially in the home circle).
Doors (one or more) rear or side - retreat, detachment, avoidance.
The doors are open - the first sign of frankness, reachability.
The doors are open. If the house is residential - this is a strong need for warmth from the outside or the desire to demonstrate accessibility (frankness).
Side doors (one or more) - alienation, solitude, rejection of reality. Significant inaccessibility.
The doors are very large - excessive dependence on others or the desire to surprise with your social sociability.
The doors are very small - unwillingness to let in your Self. Feelings of inadequacy, inadequacy and indecision in social situations.
Doors with a huge lock - hostility, suspiciousness, secrecy, protective tendencies.

Smoke

The smoke is very thick - significant internal stress (intensity according to the density of the smoke).
Smoke in a thin stream - a feeling of lack of emotional warmth at home.

Window

Windows - the first floor is drawn at the end - disgust for interpersonal relationships. Tendency to isolate from reality.
The windows are very open. The subject behaves somewhat cheekily and straightforwardly. A lot of windows show a readiness for contacts, and the absence of curtains shows a lack of desire to hide their feelings.
Windows heavily closed (curtained) - preoccupation with interaction with the environment (if this is significant for the subject).
Windows without glass - hostility, alienation. The lack of windows on the first floor - hostility, alienation.
There are no windows on the lower floor, but there are on the upper floor - a gulf between real life and life in fantasy.

Roof

The roof is a realm of fantasy. The roof and chimney torn off by the wind is a symbolic expression of the subject's feelings that they are commanded regardless of their own willpower.
The roof, a thick outline, not characteristic of the whole drawing, is a fixation on fantasies as a source of pleasure, usually accompanied by anxiety.
The roof, the thin contour of the edge - the experience of weakening control over fantasy.
Roof, thick outline of the edge - excessive concern for control over fantasy (curbing it).
A roof that does not fit well with the lower floor is a bad personal organization.
The roof cornice, its accentuation with a bright contour or extension beyond the walls, is a heavily protective (usually suspicious) installation.

Room

Associations may arise in connection with:
1) the person living in the room;
2) interpersonal relationships in the room;
3) the purpose of this room (real or attributed to it). Associations can have a positive or negative emotional connotation.
The room that did not fit on the sheet is the unwillingness of the subject to depict certain rooms due to unpleasant associations with them or with their tenant.
Room. Subject selects nearest room - suspiciousness.
The bath has a sanitary function. If the manner in which the bathtub is depicted is significant, these functions may be impaired.

Pipe

The absence of a pipe. The subject feels a lack of psychological warmth at home.
The pipe is almost invisible (hidden) - unwillingness to deal with emotional influences.
The pipe is drawn obliquely with respect to the roof - the norm for a child; significant regression if found in adults.
Drainpipes - enhanced protection and usually suspiciousness.
Water pipes (or drainpipes from the roof) are reinforced protective installations (and usually increased suspiciousness).

Add-ons

Transparent, glass box. It symbolizes the experience, exposing oneself to everyone on display. He is accompanied by a desire to demonstrate himself, limited only to visual contact.
Trees. They often symbolize different faces. If they seem to hide the house, there may be a strong need for dependence under parental dominance.
bushes. Sometimes they symbolize people. If they densely surround the house, there may be a strong desire to protect themselves with protective barriers.
Bushes randomly scattered across space or located on both sides of the path indicate a slight anxiety within reality and a conscious desire to control it.
Path (good proportions, freely drawn) - shows that the individual in contacts with others reveals tact and self-control.
The path is very long - reduced availability, often accompanied by a need for more adequate socialization.
The path is very wide at the beginning and narrows sharply near the house - an attempt to mask the desire to be alone, combined with superficial friendliness.
Sun. Symbol of an authority figure. Often perceived as a source of warmth and strength.
Weather (what kind of weather is shown). Reflects the experiences of the subject as a whole related to the environment. Most likely, the worse, more unpleasant the weather is depicted, the more likely that the subject perceives the environment as hostile, fettering.

Color

Color, its usual use. Green for the roof, brown for the walls. Yellow, if used only to depict the light inside the house, thereby representing the night or its approach, expresses the feelings of the subject, namely:
1) the environment is hostile to him;
2) his actions must be hidden from prying eyes.
The number of colors used. A well-adapted, shy and emotionally insecure subject usually uses no less than 2 or no more than 5 colors. A subject who paints a house with 7-8 colors is at best very labile, using only 1 color is afraid of emotional arousal.

Color selection

The longer, more uncertain, harder the subject selects colors, the greater the likelihood of personality disorders.
Color black - shyness, fearfulness.
Color green - the need to have a sense of security, protect yourself from danger. This position is not so important when using green for the branches of a tree or the roof of a house.
The color orange is a combination of sensitivity and hostility.
The color purple is a strong need for power.
The color red is the most sensitive. Demand for heat from the environment.
Color shading 3/4 of the sheet - lack of control over the expression of emotions.
Hatching that goes beyond the pattern is a tendency to an impulsive response to additional stimulation.
The color yellow is a strong sign of hostility.

General form

Placing a drawing on the edge of a sheet is the main feeling of uncertainty, danger. Often associated with a specific time value:
a) the right side is the future, the left side is the past;
b) related to the purpose of the room or its permanent occupant;
c) indicating the specifics of experiences: the left side is emotional, the right side is intellectual.

perspective

Perspective "above the subject" (looking from the bottom up) - the feeling that the subject is rejected, removed, not recognized at home, or the subject feels the need for a home, which he considers inaccessible, unattainable.
Perspective, the drawing is depicted in the distance - the desire to move away from conventional society. Feelings of isolation, rejection. A clear tendency to separate from the environment. The desire to reject, not to recognize this drawing or what it symbolizes. Perspective, signs of loss of perspective (the individual correctly draws one end of the house, but draws a vertical line of the roof and walls in the other - he cannot depict depth) signal the beginning difficulties of integration, fear of the future (if the vertical side line is on the right) or the desire to forget the past ( line on the left).
Triple perspective (three-dimensional, the subject draws at least 4 separate walls, on which there are not even 2 in the same plan) - excessive concern with the opinions of others about themselves. The desire to keep in mind (to know) all connections, even insignificant ones, all features.

Placement of the picture

Placing the picture above the center of the sheet. The larger the pattern above the center, the more likely it is that:
1) the subject feels the severity of the struggle and the relative unattainability of the goal;
2) the subject prefers to seek satisfaction in fantasies (internal tension);
3) the subject tends to stay away. Placing the picture exactly in the center of the sheet - insecurity and rigidity (straightness). The need for careful control in order to maintain mental balance.
Resetting the pattern below the center of the sheet. The lower the drawing is in relation to the center of the sheet, the more it looks like:
1) the subject feels unsafe and uncomfortable, and this creates a depressive mood in him;
2) the subject feels limited, constrained by reality.
Placing a picture on the left side of the sheet is an emphasis on the past. Impulsiveness.
Placing a picture in the upper left corner of the sheet is a tendency to avoid new experiences. Desire to go into the past or delve into fantasies.
Placement of the drawing on the right half of the sheet is the tendency of the subject to seek pleasure in the intellectual spheres. controlled behavior. Emphasis on the future.
The drawing extends off the left edge of the sheet. Fixation on the past and fear of the future. Excessive preoccupation with free, frank emotional experiences.
Going beyond the right edge of the sheet is the desire to “escape” into the future in order to get rid of the past. Fear of open free experiences. The desire to maintain tight control.
Going beyond the top edge of the sheet is fixation on thinking and fantasy as sources of pleasure that the subject does not experience in real life.
The contours are very straight - rigidity.
The contour is sketchy, used constantly - at best, pettiness, striving for accuracy, at worst - an indication of the inability to take a clear position.

"Human"

Head

The head is the sphere of intellect (control). Realm of the imagination.
A big head is an unconscious underlining of the belief about the importance of thinking in human activity.
The head is small - the experience of intellectual inadequacy.
Fuzzy head - shyness, timidity.
The image of the head at the very end is an interpersonal conflict.
A large head of a figure of the opposite sex is an imaginary superiority of the opposite sex and its higher social authority.
The neck is an organ that symbolizes the connection between the sphere of control (head) and the sphere of drives (body). Thus, this is their coordinating feature.
The emphasized neck is the need for intellectual defensive control.
Excessively large neck - awareness of bodily impulses, an effort to control them.
Long thin neck - inhibition, regression.
Thick short neck - concessions to one's weaknesses and desires, an expression of an unsuppressed impulse.
Shoulders, their size is a sign of physical strength or a need for power.
Shoulders excessively large - a feeling of great strength or excessive concern for strength and power.
Small shoulders - a feeling of little value, insignificance.
Shoulders too angular - a sign of excessive caution, protection.
Sloping shoulders - despondency, despair, guilt, lack of vitality.
Broad shoulders - strong bodily impulses.
The trunk is masculinity.
The body is angular or square - masculinity.
The body is too large - the presence of unsatisfied needs, acutely realized by the subject.
The torso is abnormally small - a feeling of humiliation, low value.

Face

Facial features include eyes, ears, mouth, nose. These are receptors for external stimuli - sensory contact with reality.
The emphasized face is a strong preoccupation with relationships with others, as well as with one's appearance.
Too emphasized chin - the need to dominate.
The chin is too large - compensation for perceived weakness and indecision.
Ears are too emphasized - auditory hallucinations are possible.
They are found in those who are especially sensitive to criticism.
Small ears - the desire not to accept any criticism, to drown it out.
Eyes closed or hidden under the brim of a hat - a strong desire to avoid unpleasant visual influences.
The depiction of the eyes as empty eye sockets is a significant tendency to avoid visual stimuli. Hostility.
Bulging eyes - rudeness, callousness.
Small eyes - self-absorption.
Lined eyes - rudeness, callousness.
Long eyelashes - coquettishness, a tendency to seduce, seduce, show off.
Full lips on the face of a man - femininity.
Clown's mouth - forced friendliness, inadequate feelings.
A hollow mouth is a passive significance.
The nose is wide, prominent, with a hump - contemptuous attitudes, a tendency to think in ironic social stereotypes.
Nostrils - primitive aggression.
Clearly drawn teeth - aggressiveness.
The face is unclear, dull - fearfulness, shyness.
Facial expression obsequious - insecurity.
A face that looks like a mask - caution, secrecy, feelings of depersonalization and alienation are possible.
Eyebrows sparse, short - contempt, sophistication.
Hair is a sign of masculinity (courage, strength, maturity and striving for it).
Heavily shaded hair - anxiety associated with thinking or imagination.
Unshaded hair, unpainted hair framing the head - subject is ruled by hostile feelings.

limbs

Hands are tools for a more perfect and sensitive adaptation to the environment, mainly in interpersonal relationships.
Wide arms (arm span) - an intense desire for action.
Hands wider at the palm or at the shoulder - insufficient control of actions and impulsiveness.
Hands, depicted not merged with the body, separately, extended to the sides. The subject sometimes catches himself in actions or deeds that are out of his control.
Arms crossed on the chest - a hostile-suspicious attitude.
Hands behind the back - unwillingness to concede, to compromise (even with friends). The tendency to control the manifestation of aggressive, hostile drives.
The arms are long and muscular. The subject needs physical strength, agility, courage as compensation. Arms too long - overly ambitious aspirations.
Hands relaxed and flexible - good adaptability in interpersonal relationships.
Hands tense and pressed to the body - sluggishness, rigidity.
The arms are very short - lack of aspirations along with a feeling of inadequacy.
Hands too large - a strong need for better adaptability in social relationships with a sense of inadequacy and a tendency to impulsive behavior.
Lack of hands - a feeling of inadequacy with high intelligence.
Deformation or emphasis of the arm or leg on the left side is a social-role conflict. Hands are depicted close to the body - tension.
Large hands and feet in a man - rudeness, callousness.
Tapered arms and legs - femininity.
Long arms - the desire to achieve something, to take possession of something.
Hands are long and weak - dependence, the need for guardianship.
Hands turned to the sides, reaching for something - dependence, desire for love, affection.
Arms outstretched at the sides - difficulties in social contacts, fear of aggressive impulses.
Strong hands - aggressiveness, energy.
Hands are thin, weak - a feeling of insufficiency of what has been achieved.
A hand like a boxing glove is repressed aggression.
Hands behind your back or in your pockets - guilt, self-doubt.
Poorly defined hands - lack of self-confidence in activities and social relationships.
The absence of arms in the female figure. The mother figure is perceived as unloving, rejecting, unsupportive.
Separated (chopped off) fingers - repressed aggression, isolation.
Thumbs - rudeness, callousness, aggression.
More than 5 fingers - aggressiveness, ambition.
Fingers without palms - rudeness, callousness, aggression.
Less than 5 fingers - dependence, impotence.
Long fingers - hidden aggression.
Fingers clenched into fists - rebellion, protest.
Fists pressed to the body - a repressed protest.
Fists away from the body - an open protest.
Fingers are large, similar to nails (thorns) - hostility.
The fingers are one-dimensional, looped - conscious efforts against aggressive feelings.
Legs disproportionately long - a strong need for independence and the desire for it.
Legs are too short - a feeling of physical or psychological awkwardness.
The drawing that began with the feet is timidity.
Lack of feet - isolation.
Legs wide apart - outright neglect (insubordination, ignoring or insecurity).
Legs of unequal sizes - ambivalence in the pursuit of independence.
Lack of legs - timidity, isolation.
Accentuated legs - rudeness, callousness.
Feet are a sign of mobility (physiological or psychological) in interpersonal relationships.
Feet disproportionately long - the need for security. The need to demonstrate masculinity.
Feet disproportionately small - stiffness, dependence.

Pose
The image of the face so that the back of the head is visible is a tendency towards isolation.
Head in profile, body full face - anxiety caused by the social environment and the need for communication.
A person sitting on the edge of a chair - a strong desire to find a way out of the situation, fear of loneliness, suspicion.
The person depicted as running is the desire to run away, hide from someone.
A person with visible violations of proportions in relation to the right or left sides - lack of personal balance.
A person without certain parts of the body - indicates rejection, non-recognition of a person as a whole or his missing parts (actually or symbolically depicted).
A person is in a blind flight - panic fears are possible.
A person in a smooth light step - good adaptability.
Man - absolute profile - serious detachment, isolation and oppositional tendencies.
The profile is ambivalent. Certain parts of the body are depicted on the other side in relation to the rest, looking in different directions - a particularly strong frustration with the desire to get rid of an unpleasant situation.
Unbalanced standing figure - tension.
Dolls - compliance, the experience of dominance of the environment.
A robot instead of a male figure is depersonalization, a feeling of external controlling forces.
The figure of the sticks can mean evasion and negativism.
The figure of the Baba Yaga is open hostility towards women.
A clown, a caricature - an experience of inferiority and rejection characteristic of adolescents. Hostility, self-contempt.

Background. Environment

Clouds - fearful anxiety, fears, depression.
Fence for support, contour of the earth - insecurity.
The figure of a man in the wind is the need for love, affection, caring warmth.
Base line (earth) - insecurity. Represents the necessary reference point (support) for constructing the integrity of the picture. Gives him stability. The meaning of this line sometimes depends on the quality attached to it by the subject. For example, a boy is skating on thin ice. The base is often drawn under a house or a tree, less often under a person.
The weapon is aggression.

Multidimensional Criteria

Line breaks, erased details, omissions, accentuation, shading - the sphere of conflict.
Buttons, belt buckle, accentuated vertical axis of the figure, pockets - dependency.

Contour, pressure, hatching, location

Few curved lines, many sharp corners - aggressiveness, poor adaptation.
Rounded (rounded) lines - femininity.
A combination of confident, bright and light contours - rudeness, callousness.
The contour is dim, unclear - timidity, timidity.
Energetic, confident strokes - perseverance, security.
Lines of unequal brightness - voltage.
Thin extended lines - tension.
A non-cutting, underlined contour framing the figure is isolation.
Sketchy outline - anxiety, timidity.
Breaking the contour is the sphere of conflicts.
The underlined line is anxiety, insecurity. sphere of conflict. Regression (especially in relation to the underlined detail).
Jagged, jagged lines - impudence, hostility.
Confident solid lines - ambition, zeal.
The bright line is rudeness.
Strong pressure - energy, perseverance. Great tension.
Light lines - lack of energy. Light pressure - low energy resources, stiffness.
Lines with pressure - aggressiveness, perseverance.
Uneven, unequal pressure - cyclothymic, impulsiveness, instability, anxiety, insecurity.
Changeable pressure - emotional instability, labile moods.

Stroke length

If the patient is excitable, the strokes are shortened; if not, they are lengthened.
Direct strokes - stubbornness, perseverance, perseverance.
Short strokes - impulsive behavior.
Rhythmic shading - sensitivity, sympathy, looseness.
Short, sketchy strokes - anxiety, uncertainty.
The strokes are angular, constrained - tension, isolation.
Horizontal strokes - emphasizing the imagination, femininity, weakness.
Vague, varied, changeable touches - insecurity, lack of perseverance, perseverance.
Vertical strokes - stubbornness, perseverance, determination, hyperactivity.
Hatching from right to left - introversion, isolation.
Hatching from left to right - the presence of motivation.
Hatching from oneself - aggression, extraversion.

Erasures

Erasures - anxiety, apprehension.
Frequent erasures - indecision, dissatisfaction with oneself. Erasing on redraw (if the redraw is more perfect) is a good sign.
Erasure with subsequent damage (deterioration) of the drawing - the presence of a strong emotional reaction to the drawn object or to what it symbolizes for the subject.
Erasing without trying to redraw (i.e., correct) is an internal conflict or conflict with this detail itself (or with what it symbolizes).
Large drawing - expansiveness, a tendency to vanity, arrogance.
Small figures - anxiety, emotional dependence, a feeling of discomfort and stiffness.
A very small figure with a thin contour - stiffness, a feeling of low value and insignificance.
The lack of symmetry is insecurity.
The drawing at the very edge of the sheet is dependence, self-doubt.
Drawing on the whole sheet is a compensatory exaltation of oneself in the imagination.

Details

What is important here is their knowledge, the ability to operate with them and the ability to adapt to specific practical conditions of life. The researcher must notice the degree of the subject's interest in such things, the degree of realism with which he perceives them; the relative importance he attaches to them; the way these parts are connected together.
The details are significant. The absence of significant detail in a drawing of a subject known to be of average or higher intelligence now or in the recent past is more likely to indicate intellectual degradation or severe emotional disturbance.
Too many details. “The inevitability of corporality” (the inability to limit oneself) indicates a forced need to improve the whole situation, an excessive concern for the environment. The nature of the details (essential, non-essential or bizarre) may serve to more accurately determine the specificity of susceptibility.
Excessive duplication of details - the subject most likely does not know how to enter into tactful and plastic contacts with people.
Insufficient detail - a tendency to isolation.
Particularly scrupulous detail - stiffness, pedantry.

Job Orientation

The ability to critically evaluate a drawing when asked to criticize it is the criteria for non-lost contact with reality.
Accepting a task with minimal protest is a good start, followed by fatigue and interruption in drawing.
Apologizing because of the drawing is a lack of confidence.
In the course of drawing, a decrease in pace and productivity is a rapid exhaustion.
The name of the drawing is extraversion, need and support. Pettiness.
The left half of the figure is underlined - identification with the female gender.
Persistent drawing, despite the difficulties, is a good forecast, vigor.
Resistance, refusal to draw - hiding problems, unwillingness to reveal oneself.

"Wood"

The interpretation according to K. Koch comes from the provisions of K. Jung (a tree is a symbol of a standing person).
The roots are the collective, the unconscious.
Trunk - impulses, instincts, primitive stages.
Branches - passivity or opposition to life.
The interpretation of a tree drawing always contains a core (roots, trunk, branches) and decoration elements (foliage, fruits, landscape). As already noted, the interpretation of K. Koch was aimed mainly at identifying pathological signs and features of mental development. In our opinion, there are a number of contradictions in the interpretation, as well as the use of concepts that are difficult to concretize. For example, in the interpretation of the signs “rounded crown”, “lack of energy”, “drowsiness”, “nodding”, and then “the gift of observation”, “strong imagination”, “frequent inventor” or “insufficient concentration” - what? What is the reality behind this concept? Remains unknown. In addition, the interpretation of signs contains an excessive use of everyday definitions. For example, “emptiness”, “pomp”, “pomp”, “flat”, “vulgar”, “small”, “not far off”, “pretense”, “pretense”, “primness”, “pretentiousness”, “falseness” and right there - "the gift of constructiveness", "ability for systematics", "technical talent"; or a combination of "self-discipline", "self-control", "education" - "pomp", "swagger", "indifference", "indifference".
We would like to draw attention to the fact that when communicating with normal people in the process of psychological counseling, it is hardly permissible to pronounce such epithets addressed to them.
Raising the earth to the right edge of the sheet - enthusiasm, enthusiasm.
Lowering the earth to the right edge of the sheet - a breakdown, lack of aspirations.

Roots

The roots are smaller than the trunk - the desire to see hidden, closed.
The roots are equal to the trunk - a stronger curiosity, already presenting a problem.
Roots larger than the trunk - intense curiosity, can cause anxiety.
The roots are indicated by a line - childish behavior in relation to what is kept secret.
Roots in the form of two lines - the ability to distinguish and prudence in assessing the real; the various form of these roots may be associated with the desire to live, to repress or express certain tendencies in an unfamiliar circle or close environment.
Symmetry is the desire to appear in harmony with the outside world. A marked tendency to restrain aggressiveness. Hesitation in choosing a position in relation to feelings, ambivalence, moral problems. The arrangement on the sheet is dual - the attitude to the past, to what the drawing depicts, that is, to one's act. Double desire for independence and protection within the environment. The central position is the desire to find agreement, balance with others. It indicates the need for a rigid and rigorous systematization based on habits.
Location from left to right - an increase in focus on the outside world, on the future. The need to rely on authority; seeking agreement with the outside world; ambition, the desire to impose oneself on others, a feeling of abandonment; possible fluctuations in behavior.

foliage shape

Round crown - exaltation, emotionality.
Circles in the foliage - the search for soothing and rewarding sensations, a feeling of abandonment and disappointment.
Lowered branches - loss of courage, abandonment of efforts.
Branches up - enthusiasm, impulse, desire for power.
Branches in different directions - the search for self-affirmation, contacts, self-dispersion, fussiness, sensitivity to the environment, does not oppose it.
Foliage-mesh, more or less dense - more or less dexterity in avoiding problem situations.
Foliage of curved lines - susceptibility, open acceptance of the environment.
Open and closed foliage in one picture - the search for objectivity.
Closed foliage - protecting your inner world in a childish way.
Closed dense foliage - unmanifested aggressiveness.
Foliage details that are not connected with the whole are judgments that take insignificant details as a description of the phenomenon as a whole.
The exit of branches from one area on the trunk is a children's search for protection, the norm for a child of 7 years old.
The branches drawn in one line are an escape from the troubles of reality, its transformation and embellishment.
Thick branches are a good distinction of reality.
Loop leaves are the preferred use of their charm.
Palm tree - the desire to change places.
Foliage-mesh - avoiding unpleasant sensations.
Pattern-like foliage - femininity, friendliness, charm.
Weeping willow - lack of energy and enthusiasm, the desire for a solid support and the search for positive contacts; return to the past and childhood experience; difficulties in making decisions.
Blackening, shading - tension, anxiety.

Trunk

Shaded trunk - internal anxiety, suspicion, fear of being abandoned; covert aggressiveness.
The trunk in the form of a broken dome - the desire to be like a mother, to do everything like her, or the desire to be like her father, to measure strength with him, a reflection of failures.
A trunk from one line - a refusal to really look at things.
The trunk, drawn in thin lines, the crown - thick - the possibility of self-affirmation and free action. Foliage depicted in thin lines - subtle sensitivity, suggestibility.
The trunk, depicted by lines with pressure, is decisiveness, activity, productivity.
Trunk lines are straight - dexterity, resourcefulness, does not linger on disturbing facts.
The lines of the trunk are crooked - activity, inhibited by anxiety and thoughts about the insurmountability of obstacles.
"Vermicelli" - a tendency to stealth for the sake of abuse, unforeseen attacks, hidden rage.
Branches that are not connected with the trunk are a departure from reality that does not correspond to desires, an attempt to escape from it into dreams and games.
The trunk, open and connected with foliage, is a good intellect, normal development, the desire to preserve one's inner world.
A trunk torn off the ground is a lack of contact with the outside world; everyday life and spiritual life are unrelated.
The trunk, limited from below, is a feeling of unhappiness; seeking support.
The trunk, expanding downwards, is the search for a reliable position in its circle.
The trunk, tapering downwards, is a sense of security in a circle that does not provide the desired support; isolation and the desire to strengthen one's Self in a troubled world.
The overall height - the bottom quarter of the sheet - dependence, lack of faith in oneself, compensatory dreams of power.
Using the lower half of the sheet means less dependency and timidity.
Using 3/4 sheet is a good adaptation to the medium.
The sheet, used in its entirety, wants to be noticed, count on others, assert itself. Sheet height (the page is divided into 8 parts):
1/8 - lack of reflection and control. The norm for a child of 4 years;
1/4 - the ability to comprehend one's experience and slow down one's actions;
3/8 - good control and reflection;
1/2 - internalization, hopes, compensatory dreams;
5/8 - intense spiritual life;
6/8 - the height of foliage is directly dependent on intellectual development and spiritual interests;
7/8 - foliage takes up almost the entire page - flight into dreams.

Image manner

Sharp Top:
1) protection from danger, real or imaginary, perceived as a personal attack;
2) the desire to act on others, to attack or defend, difficulties in contacts;
3) the desire to compensate for the feeling of inferiority, the desire for power;
4) search for a safe haven due to feelings of abandonment, for a firm position, the need for tenderness.
The multiplicity of trees (several trees on one leaf) is childish behavior, the subject does not follow this instruction.
Two trees can symbolize oneself and another loved one (see the position on the sheet and other points of interpretation).
Adding various objects to the tree is treated depending on specific objects.
Landscape means sentimentality.
Turning the leaf - independence, a sign of intelligence, prudence.

Earth

The earth, depicted with one line, is focus on the goal, the adoption of some order.
Earth, depicted in several different ways - actions in accordance with their own rules, the need for an ideal. Several joint lines depicting the earth are shown in aggregate and touch the edge of the sheet - spontaneous contact, sudden removal, impulsiveness, capriciousness.

The test proposed below is very often used in diagnosing a child's readiness for school, "school maturity".

We know that a child's drawing can tell a lot because reflects the state of mind of the child, the content of his inner world, relationships with loved ones. Even a non-professional can see the "positive" and "negative" elements of children's creations. True, when it comes to interpretation, you should always remember, dear parents, that the correct and complete interpretation of a drawing (both for children and adults) is, of course, the work of only a professional.

However, from the fact that we will use some knowledge, consider the picture of the child carefully and try to understand what worries your baby, there will be no harm.

Today I propose to use one of the most famous personality research methods proposed by J. Book back in 1948. The test is called "House. Tree. Man".

Since it is believed that the concepts of "house", "tree", "person" do not carry any explicit emotional meaning, then everything that the child expresses in these drawings, and everything that he ascribes to these objects, is his own emotional reactions expressed in explicit or symbolic form. Each of these objects must be considered as a self-portrait, since the child endows it with certain features that are important to him.

The methodology consists of two stages: at the first stage, the child creates drawings; at the second stage, a conversation is held when the child describes and explains what he has drawn.

brother to the child with the following words: "Draw the house as best as possible."

As soon as he starts drawing, keep track of the time to know how much the child spent on the drawing. As usual, the use of additional devices is not provided. After the child has finished drawing the drawing, ask him to draw a tree and then a person.

while the child is working on the drawing, you should observe him and take notes regarding the time spent, pauses in the drawing (during which detail it occurred, how long it lasted), deviations from the normal sequence of the image of the elements of the house, tree and person made child's comments and expressed emotions.

After all the drawings are finished, move on to the conversation. The following is a list of questions to help you clear up any ambiguities and get important information about your child.

How many floors does this house have?

Is this house brick, wooden or something else?

Is this your house? (If not, whose is it?)

When you were drawing this house, did you think who is the owner?

Would you like this house to be yours? Why?

If this house were yours:

Which room would you choose for yourself? Why?

With whom would you like to live in this house? Why?

Is this house somewhere far or close?

What do you think about when you look at this house?

What does he remind you of?

Is this house welcoming, friendly?

Is it similar to other houses or different in some way?

What is the weather like in this picture?

What is missing in this house?

Where does the path lead from the house?

If there was a person nearby, who would it be?

What is this tree?

Where is this tree actually located?

What is the approximate age of this tree?

Is this tree alive?

If the child says that the tree is alive:

What exactly in the picture confirms that the tree is alive?

Does the tree have some dead part? If there is, then which one?

If the child thinks the tree is dead:

Why do you think the tree died?

When do you think it happened?

Who do you think this tree looks more like: a man or a woman?

What exactly in the picture confirms this?

Is this tree lonely or are there others nearby?

What do you think the weather is like in this picture?

Is there wind in the picture?

Show which way the wind is blowing.

Tell me in more detail what kind of wind is it, what is it?

What does this tree make you think of?

What does it remind you of?

Is this tree healthy?

Is this tree strong?

If you were to draw a sun, where would you place it?

Who does this tree remind you of? Why?

What does this tree need the most? Why?

Is it a man or woman (boy or girl)?

How old is he/she?

Is it your relative, friend or someone else?

What were you thinking about when you drew?

What is he doing? (Where is he at this time?)

What is he thinking about?

What does he feel?

What thoughts come to your mind as you look at it?

Who does this person remind you of?

Is this person healthy?

Why do you think so?

Is this person happy?

Why do you think so?

What do you feel about this person?

What is the weather like in the picture?

Who does this person remind you of? Why?

What does this person want the most? Why?

Interpretation

We repeat once again that each drawing should be considered as a self-portrait of a child. The analysis of the drawing is carried out in the following sequence: details, proportions, perspective, time, line quality, comments. Keep in mind that the same element can have a different value, it depends on the overall configuration, and also that it can have more than one value.

If a child, drawing this or that detail, accompanies it with comments, expresses some emotions at this time, this detail is probably of particular importance to him. The same conclusion can be drawn if he violates the natural order of depicting details (for example, starts the house with a chimney), erases some element of the drawing hard, returns to the drawing once or more, spends too much time on the depiction of the detail, or depicts it in an unusual manner, leaves a detail unfinished, omits a detail despite being mandatory, refuses to talk about that detail.

Interpretation begins with such an indicator as the number of details. First of all, you should make sure that the required details are available.

The house must have at least one door (the exception is when only a side wall is drawn), one window, one wall, a roof, and a chimney or other means of escaping smoke from a stove or something that can be used to heat the house.

Wood must have a trunk and at least one branch (unless the child has drawn a stump instead of a tree, which is regarded as a very alarming sign).

Human must have a head, a body, two legs, two arms, and two eyes, a nose, a mouth, and two ears.

the absence of any of the mandatory details listed above may indicate a violation. The presence of additional details (bushes, flowers, path) can be interpreted as a desire to fill and organize the surrounding space, which may be associated with a lack of a sense of security, anxiety, insecurity.

Other red flags include a missing baseline, broken windows, a door that is smaller than a window, a non-rectangular window (unless it is an attic window), a see-through roof or wall through which objects inside the home can be seen.

A dilapidated, old house, an unstable building convey the child's critical attitude towards himself. If the house consists of several different buildings, this may express a feeling of hostility towards one of the people close to him.

The roof, indicated by a horizontal line connecting the walls, may indicate a retardation of thinking, a lack of emotions, and acute experiences. A high, large roof, as well as an emphasis on it, probably indicate that the child is prone to fantasies.

The pipe symbolizes the warmth of relationships, so its absence may indicate a lack of warmth, care, guardianship, or the presence of a conflict in relationships with a loved one. If a lot of smoke comes out of the pipe, something is probably bothering the child, there is internal tension.

it is obvious that Door implies the possibility of access or retreat; the front door can represent both an entrance and an exit, that is, it symbolizes accessibility, and the back and / or side door usually represents an exit, an escape from reality. If there is no door, the child is unavailable, closed, does not want to contact others. The open door expresses the child's need for warm, close relationships, his openness, straightforwardness, sociability. A very large door can mean that the child is hard to endure loneliness, requires attention, loves to be the center of attention. A door that is too small indicates opposite tendencies: extreme isolation, denial of any contact, unwillingness to let others in.

If a lock is drawn on the door, this can be interpreted as secrecy, perhaps even hostility, the need for protection. The need for protection is also indicated by the presence of a fence near the house.

A window is an image of visual contact. A closed, self-absorbed child may show his hostility by drawing windows without frames, not drawing windows at all, or not drawing them on the ground floor; draws windows, but complements them with shutters, shading, curtains, curtains, etc. If the windows are drawn high from the ground, this may indicate a certain separation of the child from life's realities and a preference for imaginary worlds. The child who painted the windows last expresses a desire for solitude, unwillingness to contact others. Open windows may indicate straightforwardness, a sense of confidence, some pride.

A large, very large tree can serve as an expression of an aggressive attitude. If the drawing consists mainly of weak, thin lines, this indicates uncertainty, indecision, and poor fitness. If the shape of the tree resembles a keyhole, with a crown in the form of a circle or an oval, this may mean strong hostile impulses. Scars on the body of a tree, broken, drooping or dead branches, apparently symbolize mental trauma. If a child graphically or verbally indicates that the tree is dead, this is regarded as a sign of a feeling of inferiority, unfitness, failure, uselessness, guilt, etc. Most often, branches or roots are called dead or partially dead. In this case, damaged branches are interpreted as a symbol of the traumatic effects of the environment, and a dead root system implies intrapersonal disharmony.

It is assumed that the tree symbolizes how the child feels in the reality around him. Since the external forces acting on the tree are predominantly meteorological, through the description of weather conditions, the child can express his impression of how he perceives relationships from others: whether the surrounding reality is generally supportive and friendly or oppressive and hostile.

Human

a person depicted from the front should have a head, a body, two legs, two arms, as well as two eyes, a nose, a mouth and two ears. A child can vividly express his feelings of helplessness by drawing a self-portrait without hands and feet. Divorced hands are an expression of the desire for action. If the arms are crossed on the chest, this is evidence of isolation, suspiciousness, withdrawal into oneself. Long arms - the presence of some aspirations, ambitions. Short hands, on the contrary, express the absence of aspirations aimed at the outside world. Disproportionately long legs - the desire for independence. Short legs express a feeling of helplessness.

The eyes, nose, mouth, and ears are receptors for external stimuli that may be unpleasant (for example, hearing accusations, criticism), and may lead to conflict or problem. A drawing of a person with only eyes indicates suspicion and excessive caution, the absence of a nose, ears and mouth also indicates a lack of desire to communicate.

dear parents, you should also pay attention to the consistency in drawing a house, a tree, a person; the proportions of the details in the picture (maybe something seems too big or, conversely, too small); perspective (what and where is drawn); the time that the child spends on drawing the elements of the picture; line quality (thick, weak lines); comments - oral or written - names of people, names of streets, trees, etc. Be careful and keep records.

Unfortunately, the size of the issue does not allow us to describe in detail the features of the interpretation of the figure. However, dear friends, if you wish, you can easily find a detailed description of the interpretation of various aspects of the drawing on the pages of the worldwide web.

Let me remind you once again that only a specialist can give a full interpretation of the drawing, so do not rush to conclusions! Draw with pleasure!

In the preparation, materials from the book by Katherine Taylor were used. "Psychological tests and exercises for children. A book for parents and educators" Ed.: April-Press, Izd. Institute of Psychotherapy, 2005, 224 pages.

Test House, Tree, Man (DDCH).

Projective technique (drawing test).

This test was proposed by J. Book in 1948 and is designed to assess the personality of the subject, the level of his development, performance and integration; obtaining data relating to the scope of his relationship with the outside world in general and with specific people in particular. This is one of the most famous projective techniques.

The test is intended for both adults and children.

The study can be carried out both in a group and individually. Preference is given to individual testing, which provides greater opportunities for observation.

Test House, Tree, Man (DDCH). Projective technique (drawing test):

Instruction.

Take a white sheet of paper, a pencil and an eraser. Draw the house as well as you can. You can draw any type of house you want. You can erase the drawing as much as you like - this will not affect your score. Think about the drawing for as long as you need. Just try to draw the house as best you can. Then draw the best possible tree and person.

Key (decryption).

Each object (house, tree, person), drawn separately or in a composition, should be considered as a self-portrait, since each subject depicts it with certain features that are essential for him for some reason, and these features have a real background that is different from what the subjects can say about it.

Details. What is important here is their significance, the ability to operate with them and adapt to the specific conditions of life. It is necessary to note the degree of interest of the subject and the following points: the degree of realism with which he perceives them, the relative importance that he attaches to them and the ability to connect these details in the aggregate.

Interpretation of features

A special way of interpretation may be the order in which the drawing of the house, the tree, and the person is done. If a tree is drawn first, then the main thing for a person is life energy. If the house is drawn first, then in the first place is safety, success, or, conversely, the neglect of these concepts. Now let's look at each component individually.

The house is old, collapsed. Sometimes the subject in this way can express an attitude towards himself. home away- feelings of rejection House near– openness, accessibility and (or)_feeling of warmth and hospitality. house plan(projection from above) instead of the house itself - a serious conflict Miscellaneous buildings- aggression directed against the actual owner of the house or rebellion against what the subject considers artificial and cultural standards. The shutters are closed. The subject is able to adapt to interpersonal relationships. Steps leading to a blank wall (no doors), - a reflection of a conflict situation that is detrimental to a correct assessment of reality, the inaccessibility of the subject (although he himself may desire free cordial communication).

The back wall, located unusually, is a conscious attempt at self-control, an adaptation to conventions, but at the same time there are strong hostile tendencies. The outline of the back wall is significantly thicker (brighter) than the other details. The subject seeks to maintain (not lose) contact with reality. The wall, the absence of its base is a weak contact with reality (if the drawing is placed below). Wall with an accentuated outline of the base. The subject tries to force out conflicting tendencies, experiences difficulties, anxiety. A wall with an accentuated horizontal dimension is a poor orientation in time (the dominance of the past or the future). Perhaps the subject is very sensitive to environmental pressure. A wall with a side contour that is too thin and inadequate is a premonition (threat) of disaster. Against the wall, the contours of the line are too accentuated - a conscious desire to maintain control. Wall in 1D perspective - only one side is shown. If it is a side wall, there are serious tendencies towards alienation and opposition. Transparent walls - unconscious attraction, the need to influence (own, organize) the situation as much as possible. A wall with an accentuated vertical dimension - the subject seeks pleasure primarily in fantasies and has less contact with reality than is desirable.

Their absence - the subject has difficulty in trying to open up to others (especially in the home circle). Doors (one or more) rear or side - retreat, detachment, avoidance. The doors are open - the first sign of frankness, reachability. The doors are open. If the house is residential - this is a strong need for warmth from the outside or the desire to demonstrate accessibility (frankness). Side doors (one or more) - alienation, solitude, rejection of reality. Significant inaccessibility. The doors are very large - excessive dependence on others or the desire to surprise with your social sociability. The doors are very small - unwillingness to let in your Self. Feelings of inadequacy, inadequacy and indecision in social situations. Doors with a huge lock - hostility, suspiciousness, secrecy, protective tendencies.

The smoke is very thick - significant internal stress (intensity according to the density of the smoke). Smoke in a thin stream - a feeling of lack of emotional warmth at home.

Windows - the first floor is drawn at the end - disgust for interpersonal relationships. Tendency to isolate from reality. The windows are very open. The subject behaves somewhat cheekily and straightforwardly. A lot of windows show readiness for contacts, and the absence of curtains - the lack of desire to hide their feelings. Windows heavily closed (curtained) - concern for interaction with the environment (if this is significant for the subject). Windows without glass - hostility, alienation. The lack of windows on the first floor - hostility, alienation. There are no windows on the lower floor, but there are on the upper floor - the gulf between real life and life in fantasy.

The roof is a realm of fantasy. The roof and chimney torn off by the wind is a symbolic expression of the subject's feelings that they are commanded regardless of their own willpower. The roof, a thick outline, not characteristic of the whole drawing, is a fixation on fantasies as a source of pleasure, usually accompanied by anxiety. The roof, the thin contour of the edge - the experience of weakening control over fantasy. Roof, thick outline of the edge - excessive concern for control over fantasy (curbing it). A roof that is poorly combined with the lower floor is a bad personal organization. The cornice of the roof, its accentuation with a bright contour or extension beyond the walls, is a heavily protective (usually suspicious) installation.

Test "House-tree-man" developed by the American psychologist J. Buck. It allows you to identify the following symptom complexes: a sense of insecurity, anxiety, self-doubt, a sense of inferiority, hostility to others, the presence of a conflict (frustrating) situation in the child's life, difficulties in communicating and establishing contacts, depressive tendencies.

This test is projective, because with the uncertainty of the presented stimulus (i.e., the child does not realize that conclusions about his personality can be drawn from his drawing), the subject projects his idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe house (tree, person) and attitude to the fact that the given object symbolizes for him.

The test technique is very simple. The child is offered a standard sheet of paper and a simple pencil (softness 2M). Preliminarily, the drawing sheet is folded in half. On the first page in a horizontal position at the top they write “HOUSE” in block letters, on the second and third pages in a vertical position on top of each sheet they write, respectively, “TREE”, “MAN”.

Instruction. The child is told the following: "Please draw the best possible house, tree and person." All clarifying questions of the subject should be answered that he can draw as he wants. After the drawing is finished, a conversation is held with the child. A lot of information will also be given by observing the child in the process of drawing - his facial expressions, spontaneous statements, gestures or unusual movements, etc. are noted. Then a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the obtained indicators is carried out.

Result interpretation

When interpreting, it is necessary to proceed from the analysis of the integrity of the drawings. The presence of only one sign does not yet indicate the manifestation of a certain mental peculiarity in a given subject. The interpretation has two parts. The first part concerns the generally accepted interpretation of drawings and individual elements. In the second part, the psychological portrait of the subject is determined based on the criteria of the projective test, the analysis of each individual drawing in the context of the entire task, and the observation of the subject during the task.

The subject can show in his drawing which details are of personal interest to him in two ways: positively - if during drawing he emphasizes them, returns to these details of the drawing, erases some details of the drawing; negative - if it misses the main, essential details of the drawn objects. The meaning of such details should be interpreted taking into account the integrity of all drawings.

Proportions sometimes reflect the psychological significance, importance and value of things, situations or relationships that are directly or symbolically represented in the drawing. Proportion can be viewed as the ratio of the whole drawing to a given space of paper, or as the ratio of one part of the whole drawing to another.

Perspective shows a more complex relation of man to his environment. When evaluating the perspective, attention is drawn to the position of the drawing on the sheet in relation to the viewer (view from above or below), the relative position of the parts of the drawing, the movement of the drawn object.

Interpretation of features

House

The drawing of a house always reflects issues related to a person's family. The child expresses attitude towards parents, brothers, sisters. Adult - family relationship with a spouse.

General form

• A drawing adjacent to the lower border of the sheet - a lack of a sense of security in family or intimate life.
• A drawing on the edge of a sheet - a sense of danger is often associated with the following aspects: 1) the right side is the future, the left is the past, 2) the danger is associated with the purpose of the room or with its permanent resident, 3) the left side is emotional experiences, the right is intellectual.
• Placing a drawing above the center of the sheet - the larger the drawing above the center, the more likely it is that: 1) the subject feels the severity of the struggle and the relative unattainability of the goal; 2) the subject prefers to seek satisfaction in fantasies (internal tension); 3) the subject tends to stay away.
• Placing the picture exactly in the center of the sheet - insecurity and rigidity (straightness). The need for careful control in order to maintain mental balance.
• Placing the drawing below the center of the sheet - the lower the drawing in relation to the center of the sheet, the more likely it is that: 1) the subject feels insecure and uncomfortable, and this creates a depressive mood in him; 2) the subject feels limited, constrained by reality.
• Placing a picture on the left side of the sheet is an emphasis on the past. Impulsiveness.
• Placing a picture in the upper left corner of the sheet is a tendency to avoid new experiences. Desire to go into the past or delve into fantasies.
• Placing a picture on the right half of the sheet - the subject is inclined to seek pleasure in the intellectual spheres. controlled behavior. Emphasis on the future.
• The drawing goes beyond the left edge of the sheet - fixation on the past and fear of the future. Excessive preoccupation with free, frank emotional experiences.
• Going beyond the right edge of the sheet is the desire to "escape" into the future in order to get rid of the past. Fear of open free experiences. The desire to maintain tight control over the situation.
• Going beyond the top edge of the sheet - fixation on thinking and fantasy as sources of pleasure that the subject does not experience in real life.
• The contours are very straight - rigidity.
• The contour is sketchy, used constantly - at best, pettiness, striving for accuracy, at worst - an indication of the inability to take a clear position.
• The house, presented in perspective, viewed from below - the denial of the house or the feeling that it is impossible to achieve the desired situation at home. The feeling that the subject is rejected, withdrawn, not recognized at home. Or the subject feels the need for a home, which he considers inaccessible, unattainable.
• House in perspective, top view - denial of the home situation. The plan of the house (projection from above) instead of the house itself is a serious conflict.
• Signs of "losing perspective" (the individual correctly draws one end of the house, but draws a vertical line of the roof and walls in the other - he does not know how to depict depth) - signals the beginning difficulties of integration, fear of the future (if the vertical side line is on the right) or a desire to forget the past (line on the left).
• Triple perspective (three-dimensional, the subject draws at least four separate walls) - excessive concern for the opinions of others about themselves, the desire to keep in mind (learn) all connections, even insignificant ones, all features.
• House away - a feeling of rejection, a clear tendency to delimit oneself from the environment; desire not to recognize what this drawing symbolizes.
• Home near - openness, accessibility and (or) a sense of warmth and hospitality.
• The main details are a door, a window, a wall, a roof, a pipe. If there is no detail, there are certain problems in relationships with people.
• Additional details - the need for additional ordering of the surrounding space. This is sometimes due to a lack of security or a desire to control conflicts.
• The house is old, collapsed - sometimes the subject in this way can express his attitude towards himself.
• Miscellaneous buildings - aggression directed against the actual owner of the house or rebellion against what the subject considers artificial and cultural standards.
• Steps leading to a blank wall (without doors) are a reflection of a conflict situation that is detrimental to a correct assessment of reality. The inaccessibility of the subject, although he himself may desire free cordial communication.

Walls

• The back wall, located unusually - conscious attempts at self-control, adaptation to conventions, but at the same time, there are strong hostile tendencies.
• The contour of the back wall is much brighter (thicker) compared to other details - the subject seeks to maintain (not lose) contact with reality.
• The wall, the absence of its base is a weak contact with reality (if the drawing is placed below).
• A wall with an accentuated contour of the base - the subject is trying to displace conflict tendencies, experiencing difficulties, anxiety.
• A wall with an accentuated horizontal dimension is a poor orientation in time (the dominance of the past or the future). It is possible that the subject is sensitive to environmental pressure.
• The wall, the side contour is too thin and inadequate - a premonition (threat) of a catastrophe.
• The wall, the contours of the line are too accentuated - a conscious desire to maintain control.
• Wall, one-dimensional perspective, only one side is depicted. If it is a side wall, then there are serious tendencies towards alienation and opposition.
• Transparent walls - unconscious attraction, the need to influence (own, organize) the situation as much as possible.
• A wall with an accentuated vertical dimension - the subject seeks pleasure primarily in fantasies and has less contact with reality than is desirable.

doors

• Doors - contacts with people around.
• Their absence - the subject has difficulty in trying to open up to others (especially in the home circle).
• Doors (one or more), rear or side - retreat, detachment, avoidance, rejection of reality, significant impregnability.
• The doors are open - the first sign of frankness, reachability or the need to receive warmth from the outside world.
• The doors are very large - excessive dependence on others or the desire to surprise with your social sociability.
• The doors are very small - unwillingness to let in your "I". Feelings of inadequacy, inadequacy, and indecisiveness in social situations.
• Doors with a huge lock - hostility, suspiciousness, secrecy, protective tendencies.

Smoke

• The smoke is very thick - significant internal stress (intensity according to the density of the smoke).
• Smoke in a thin stream - a feeling of lack of emotional warmth at home.

Window

• Windows - behavioral features.
• The first floor is drawn at the end - disgust for interpersonal relationships. Tendency to isolate from reality.
• The windows are very open - the subject behaves somewhat cheekily and straightforwardly. A lot of windows show readiness for contacts, and the absence of curtains - the lack of desire to hide their feelings.
• Windows closed (curtained) - concern for interaction with the environment (if this is significant for the subject).
• Windows without glass - hostility, alienation.
• There are no windows on the lower floor, but there are on the upper floor - the gulf between real life and life in fantasy.
• No windows - hostility, flight, alienation.
• Windows with vents - a reserve, self-control.
• Windows without curtains - open, direct behavior.

Roof

• The roof is a realm of fantasy.
• The roof and chimney torn off by the wind symbolically express the feelings of the subject that they are commanded, regardless of their own willpower.
• Roof, thick outline, uncharacteristic of the drawing - fixation on fantasies as a source of pleasure, usually accompanied by anxiety.
• The roof, the thin contour of the edge - the experience of weakening the control of fantasy.
• Roof, thick outline of the edge - excessive concern for control over fantasy (curbing it).
• A roof that is poorly combined with the lower floor is a bad personal organization.
• The cornice of the roof, its accentuation with a bright contour or pouring over the walls, is a heavily protective (usually suspicious) installation.
• Flat (one line between two walls) - lack of imagination or emotional retardation.
• Too big a roof - a search for satisfaction in fantasies.

Pipe

• Trumpet - a warm (or intimate) relationship.
• Lack of a pipe - the subject feels a lack of psychological warmth at home or the presence of conflicts with an important male person.
• The pipe is almost invisible (hidden) - unwillingness to deal with emotional influences.
• The pipe is drawn obliquely with respect to the roof - the norm for a child; significant regression if found in adults.
• Water pipes (or drainpipes from the roof) - reinforced protective installations (and usually increased suspiciousness).

Additionally

• The transparent, "glass" box symbolizes the experience of exposing yourself to everyone. He is accompanied by a desire to demonstrate himself, but limited to only visual contact.
• Trees often symbolize various faces. If they seem to "hide" the house, then there may be a strong need for dependence under the dominance of parents.
• Bushes sometimes symbolize people. If they closely surround the house, there may be a strong desire to protect themselves with protective barriers.
• The bushes are randomly scattered across the space or on both sides of the path - a slight anxiety within reality and a conscious desire to control it.
• The path (path) is a symbol of a person's openness, his availability for contacts. The path, well proportioned, easily drawn, shows that the individual, in contact with others, exhibits tact and self-control.
• The path is very long - reduced availability, often accompanied by a need for more adequate socialization.
• The path is very wide at the beginning and narrows very much towards the house - an attempt to mask the desire to be alone, combined with superficial friendliness.
• The sun is a symbol of an authority figure. Often perceived as a source of warmth and strength.
• Weather (what kind of weather is depicted) - reflects the experiences of the subject as a whole related to the environment. Most likely, the worse, more unpleasant the weather is depicted, the more likely that the subject perceives the environment as hostile, fettering.

Room instead of home

• Associations can arise in connection with: 1) the person living in the room, 2) interpersonal relationships in the room, 3) the purpose of this room (real or attributed to it).
• Associations can have a positive or negative emotional connotation.
• Room that did not fit on the sheet - the unwillingness of the subject to depict certain rooms due to unpleasant associations with them or with their tenant.
• Subject selects nearest room - suspiciousness.
• Bath - performs a sanitary function. If the manner in which the bathtub is depicted is significant, these functions may be impaired.
• The bedroom is a place of intimate relationships. A graphical or verbal depiction of one's own bedroom can help to ascertain the subject's degree of sexual adjustment, as well as reveal the subject's attitude towards or need for rest and relaxation.
• Dining room (living room). The function of this room is to satisfy oral and nutritional needs. If the manner of drawing indicates the significance of this room for the subject, one can suspect a violation of these functions.
• Living room (living room) - social communication.
• Kitchen. The image of the room in which food is prepared, in the presence of a special manner of drawing in the subject (indicating violations), signal oral eroticism. This may be due to a strong need for affection, love.
• Various outbuildings. Aggression directed against the actual owner of the house, or rebellion against what the subject considers artificial, cultural, standard. If the subject draws a toilet near the house, urethral and/or anal interest can be assumed.

Color

• Common use of color: green - for the roof; brown - for walls; yellow, if used only to depict the light inside the house, thereby displaying the night or its approach, expresses the feelings of the subject, namely: 1) the environment is hostile to him, 2) his actions should be hidden from prying eyes.
• Number of colors used: A well-adjusted and emotionally insecure subject will typically use no less than two and no more than five colors; one can speak of mental instability if the subject paints the house with seven or more colors; if only one color is used, then the subject is afraid of emotional arousal.
• The realistic use of color is not pathological.
• Specific, non-conventional use of color (with the longer and harder the subject selects colors, the greater the likelihood of personality disorders):
• Color black - shyness, fearfulness. Strong opposition tendencies with potential aggressiveness.
• Color green - the need to have a sense of security, protect yourself from danger. This position is not so important when using green for the branches of a tree or the roof of a house.
• The color blue is a certain depressive mood background. The need for self-control is captured.
• The color orange is a combination of sensitivity and hostility.
• The color purple is a strong need for power.
• The color red is the most sensitive. Demand for heat from the environment.
• The color brown is caution and an immature reaction to emotional stimuli.
• The color yellow is a strong sign of hostility. The color yellow throughout the drawing is a very strong sense of hostility in all social connections and relationships.
• Color-hatching (shadows) in the foreground and background - anxiety, but within the framework of reality.
• Color-hatching 3/4 sheet - lack of control over the expression of emotions.
• Hatching that goes beyond the pattern is a tendency to an impulsive response to additional stimulation.

Human

The small size of the picture is a feeling of unfitness.

Head

• The head is the sphere of intellect (control), the sphere of imagination.
• A big head is an unconscious emphasis on the belief about the importance of thinking in human activity, preoccupation with the world of imagination.
• The head is small - the experience of intellectual inadequacy.
• Fuzzy head - shyness, timidity.
• The head is depicted at the very end - interpersonal conflict.
• A large head of a figure of the opposite sex is an imaginary superiority of the opposite sex and its higher social authority.

Neck

• The neck symbolizes the connection between the sphere of control (head) and the sphere of drives (body). Thus, this is their coordinating feature.
• The neck is emphasized - the need for protective intellectual control.
• Excessively large neck - awareness of bodily impulses, an effort to control them.
• Long thin neck - inhibition, regression.
• Thick short neck - concessions to one's weaknesses and desires, an expression of an unsuppressed impulse.

Shoulders

• Shoulders are a sign of physical strength or a need for power.
• Uneven - emotional instability.
• Shoulders excessively large - a feeling of great strength or excessive preoccupation with strength and power.
• Shoulders are small - a feeling of insignificance.
• The shoulders are too angular (square) - a sign of excessive caution, protection, hostility towards others.
• Sloping shoulders - despondency, despair, guilt, lack of vitality.
• Broad shoulders - strong bodily impulses.

torso

• The torso symbolizes masculinity.
• The body is angular or square - masculinity.
• The body is too large - the presence of unsatisfied, acutely aware of the subject's needs.
• The torso is abnormally small - a feeling of humiliation, low value.

Face

• Facial features include eyes, ears, mouth, nose. It is sensory contact with reality.
• The face is emphasized - a strong preoccupation with relationships with others, with one's appearance.
• The chin is too emphasized - the need to dominate.
• The chin is too large - compensation for perceived weakness and indecision.
• Ears are too emphasized - auditory hallucinations are possible. They are found in those who are especially sensitive to criticism.
• Small ears - the desire not to accept any criticism, to drown it out.
• Eyes closed or hidden under the brim of a hat - a strong desire to avoid unpleasant visual influences.
• The eyes are depicted as empty eye sockets, a significant desire to avoid visual stimuli. Hostility.
• Eyes bulging - rudeness, callousness.
• Small eyes - self-absorption.
• Lined eyes - rudeness, callousness.
• Long eyelashes - coquettishness, a tendency to seduce, seduce, demonstrate oneself.
• Full lips on the face of a man - femininity.
• Clown's mouth - forced friendliness, inadequate feelings.
• A hollow mouth is a passive significance.
• The mouth is strongly circled - immaturity.
• The nose is wide, prominent, with a hump - contemptuous attitudes, a tendency to think in ironic social stereotypes.
• Nostrils - primitive aggression.
• The teeth are clearly drawn - aggressiveness.
• The face is unclear, dull - fearfulness, shyness.
• Facial expression obsequious (flattering) - insecurity.
• A face that looks like a mask - caution, secrecy, feelings of depersonalization and alienation are possible.
• Eyebrows sparse, short - contempt, sophistication.
• Hair is a sign of masculinity (courage, strength, maturity and the desire for it).
• Hair heavily shaded - anxiety associated with thinking or imagination.
• The hair is not shaded, not painted over, framing the head - the subject is controlled by hostile feelings.

limbs

• Hands are tools for a more perfect and sensitive adaptation to the environment, mainly in interpersonal relationships, a symbol of changing or controlling the environment.
• Wide arms (arm span) - an intense desire for action.
• Hands wider at the palm or at the shoulder - insufficient control of actions and impulsiveness.
• Tapered arms and legs - femininity.
• Hands depicted not merged with the body, but separately, extended to the sides - the subject sometimes catches himself in actions or deeds that are out of his control.
• Hands turned to the sides, reaching for something - addiction, desire for love, affection.
• Arms crossed on the chest - hostile-suspicious attitude, suspicion.
• Hands behind your back - unwillingness to concede, to compromise (even with friends).
• Hands behind your back or in your pockets - guilt, self-doubt. The tendency to control the manifestation of aggressive, hostile drives.
• The arms are long and muscular - the subject needs physical strength, dexterity, courage as compensation.
• The arms are too long - overly ambitious aspirations.
• Long arms - the desire to achieve something, to take possession of something.
• Hands are long and weak - dependence, indecision, the need for guardianship.
• Hands relaxed and flexible - good adaptability in interpersonal relationships.
• Hands tense and pressed to the body - sluggishness, rigidity.
• Hands are depicted close to the body - tension.
• Arms outstretched at the sides - difficulties in social contacts, fear of aggressive impulses.
• The arms are very short - lack of aspirations along with a feeling of inadequacy.
• Hands too large - a strong need for better adaptability in social relationships with a sense of inadequacy and a tendency to impulsive behavior.
• Large hands - compensation for perceived weakness and guilt.
• Large hands and feet in a man - rudeness, callousness.
• Lack of hands - a feeling of inadequacy with high intelligence. Helplessness, incompetence.
• Hands are absent in the female figure - the mother figure is perceived as unloving, rejecting, unsupportive.
• Deformation or emphasis of the arm (or leg) on ​​the left side is a social-role conflict.
• Strong hands - aggressiveness, energy.
• Hands are thin, weak - a feeling of insufficiency of what has been achieved.
• Hand like a boxing glove - repressed aggression.
• Hands vaguely defined - lack of self-confidence in activities and social relations.
• Fingers are separated (chopped off) - repressed aggression, isolation.
• Thumbs (long) - rudeness, callousness, aggression.
• Long fingers - hidden aggression.
• Fingers are large, like nails (thorns) - hostility.
• More than five fingers - aggressiveness, ambition.
• Fingers without palms - rudeness, callousness, aggression.
• Less than five fingers - dependence, impotence.
• Fingers clenched into fists - rebellion, protest.
• Fists pressed to the body - a repressed protest.
• Fists away from the body - an open protest.
• The fingers are one-dimensional, looped - conscious efforts against aggressive feelings.
• Legs show the level of independence, autonomy of a person.
• Lack of legs - suppression, timidity, isolation.
• Legs disproportionately long - a strong need for independence and the desire for it.
• Legs are too short - a feeling of physical or psychological awkwardness. Disturbances in emotional life.
• The drawing started with the feet and legs - timidity.
• Legs widely spaced - outright neglect (insubordination, ignoring or insecurity).
• Legs of unequal sizes - ambivalence (opposite feelings) in the pursuit of independence.
• The legs are accentuated - rudeness, callousness.
• Feet are a sign of mobility (physiological or psychological) in interpersonal relationships.
• The feet are not depicted - isolation, timidity, dependence.
• Feet disproportionately long - the need for security, or maturity. The need to demonstrate masculinity.
• Feet disproportionately small - stiffness, dependence, repressed feelings.

Pose

• The face is depicted in such a way that the back of the head is visible - a tendency towards isolation.
• Head in profile, body full face - anxiety caused by the social environment and the need for communication.
• A person sitting on the edge of a chair - a strong desire to find a way out of the situation, fear, loneliness, suspicion.
• The person depicted as running is the desire to run away, hide from someone.
• A person with visible violations of proportions in relation to the right and left sides - lack of personal balance.
• A person without certain parts of the body indicates rejection, non-recognition of the person as a whole or his missing parts (actually or symbolically depicted).
• A person is in a blind flight - panic fears are possible.
• A person in a smooth light step - good adaptability.
• Man, absolute profile - serious detachment, isolation and oppositional tendencies.
• The profile is ambivalent - certain parts of the body are depicted on the other side in relation to the rest, looking in different directions - especially strong frustration with the desire to get rid of an unpleasant situation.
• Unbalanced standing figure - tension.
• Dolls - compliance, the experience of the dominance of the environment.
• A robot instead of a male figure - depersonalization, a feeling of external controlling forces.
• Figure of sticks - can mean evasion and negativism.
• The figure of Baba Yaga is open hostility towards women.
• Clown, caricature - a feeling of inferiority inherent in adolescents. Hostility, self-contempt.

Background, environment

• Clouds - fearful anxiety, fears, depression.
• Fence - the need for emotional protection.
• The figure of a man in the wind is a need for love, affection, caring warmth.
• The base line (earth) - insecurity.
• Weapon - aggression.

Multidimensional Criteria

• Line breaks, erased details, omissions, accentuation, shading - the sphere of conflict.
• Buttons, a belt plaque, the vertical axis of the figure is emphasized, pockets - dependence.
• Few curved lines, many sharp corners - aggressiveness, poor adaptation.
• Rounded (rounded) lines - femininity.
• A combination of confident, bright and light contours - rudeness, callousness.
• The contour is dim, unclear - timidity, timidity.
• Energetic, confident touches - perseverance, security.
• Lines of unequal brightness - voltage.
• Thin extended lines - tension.
• The unbreakable, underlined contour framing the figure is isolation.
• Sketchy outline - anxiety, timidity.
• Contour break - sphere of conflicts.
• Underlined line - anxiety, insecurity. sphere of conflict. Regression (especially in relation to the underlined detail).
• Jagged, uneven lines - audacity, hostility. Confident solid lines - ambition, zeal.
• The bright line is rudeness.
• Strong pressure - energy, perseverance. Great tension.
• Lines with pressure - aggressiveness, perseverance.
• Light lines - lack of energy.
• Light pressure - low energy resources, stiffness.
• Uneven, unequal pressure - impulsiveness, instability, anxiety, insecurity.
• Changeable pressure - emotional instability, labile (changeable) moods.
• Stroke length. If the subject is excitable, the strokes are shortened; if not, they are lengthened.
• Direct strokes - stubbornness, perseverance, perseverance.
• Short strokes - impulsive behavior.
• Rhythmic shading - sensitivity, sympathy, looseness.
• Short, sketchy strokes - anxiety, uncertainty.
• The strokes are angular, constrained - tension, isolation.
• Horizontal strokes - emphasizing the imagination, femininity, weakness.
• Vague, varied, changeable touches - insecurity, lack of perseverance, perseverance.
• Vertical strokes - stubbornness, perseverance, determination, hyperactivity.
• Hatching from right to left - introversion, isolation.
• Hatching from left to right - the presence of motivation.
• Hatching from oneself - aggression, extraversion.
• Erasure - anxiety, apprehension.
• Frequent erasures - indecision, dissatisfaction with oneself.
• Erasing on redraw (if the redraw is more perfect) is a good sign.
• Erasure with subsequent damage (deterioration) of the drawing - the presence of a strong emotional reaction to the object being drawn or to what it symbolizes for the subject, or the presence of a malignant organic factor.
• Erasing without trying to redraw (i.e. correct) is an internal conflict or conflict with this detail itself (or with what it symbolizes).

Size and position

• Big drawing - expansiveness, a tendency to vanity, arrogance.
• Small figures - anxiety, emotional dependence, feelings of discomfort and stiffness.
• A very small figure with a thin contour - stiffness, a sense of low value and insignificance.
• The lack of symmetry is insecurity.
• The drawing at the very edge of the sheet is dependence, self-doubt.
• Drawing on the whole sheet - compensatory exaltation of oneself in the imagination.

Details

• The absence of significant detail in a drawing of a subject known to be of average or higher intelligence now or in the recent past is more likely to indicate intellectual degradation or severe emotional disturbance.
• An excess of details - the "inevitability of corporality" (the inability to limit oneself) - indicates a forced need to improve the whole situation, an excessive concern for the environment. The nature of the details (essential, non-essential or bizarre) may serve to more accurately determine the specificity of susceptibility.
• Excessive duplication of details - the subject, most likely, does not know how to enter into tactful and plastic contacts with people.
• Insufficient detail - tendencies towards isolation.
• Particularly scrupulous detail - stiffness, pedantry.

Job Orientation

• The ability to critically evaluate a drawing when asked to criticize it is the criteria for unlost contact with reality.
• Accepting a task with minimal protest is a good start, followed by fatigue and interruption in drawing.
• Apologies for drawing - lack of confidence.
• In the course of drawing, the pace and productivity decrease - rapid exhaustion.
• The name of the drawing is extraversion, need and support. Pettiness.
• The left half of the figure is underlined - identification with the female gender.
• Stubbornly draws, despite the difficulties - a good forecast, vigor.
• Resistance, refusal to draw - hiding problems, unwillingness to reveal oneself.

Wood

• The drawing of a tree is associated with the life role of the painter and with his ability to accept rewards from the environment. Reveals specific past situations or reflects personality traits of the person being tested. Unconscious self-portrait of the subject as a whole.
• It is believed that the tree is a symbol of a standing person; roots - the collective, the unconscious; trunk - impulses, instincts, primitive stages; branches - passivity or opposition to life.
• The interpretation of a tree pattern always contains a permanent core (roots, trunk, branches) and ornamental elements (foliage, fruit, landscape).

Roots

• The roots are smaller than the trunk - a craving for a hidden, closed.
• The roots are equal to the trunk - a stronger curiosity, already presenting a problem.
• Roots larger than the trunk - intense curiosity, can cause anxiety.
• The roots are marked with a line - childish behavior in relation to what is kept secret.
• Roots in the form of two lines - the ability to distinguish and prudence in assessing the real; the various form of these roots may be associated with the desire to live, to repress or express certain tendencies in an unfamiliar circle or close environment.

Foliage shape, branches

• Overly emphasized crown - emotional retardation, limited ability to reason.
• The trunk and the circle instead of the crown - impulsiveness, variability.
• Round crown - exaltation, emotionality.
• Circles in the foliage - the search for soothing and rewarding sensations, feelings of abandonment and disappointment.
• Foliage-net, more or less dense - more or less dexterity in avoiding problem situations; escape from discomfort.
• Foliage of curved lines - receptivity, open acceptance of the environment.
• Open and closed foliage in one picture - the search for objectivity.
• Closed foliage - protecting your inner world in a childish way.
• Closed dense foliage - hidden aggressiveness.
• Loop leaves - prefers to use charm.
• Foliage as a pattern - femininity, friendliness, charm.
• The branches are omitted - loss of courage, abandonment of efforts.
• Foliage in thin lines - subtle sensitivity, suggestibility.
• Branches up - enthusiasm, impulse, desire for power.
• Branches in different directions - the search for self-affirmation, contacts, self-spraying. Fussiness, sensitivity to the environment, lack of opposition to it.
• The branches come out of one area on the trunk - children's search for protection, the norm for a child of seven years.
• The branches are drawn in one line - an escape from the troubles of reality, its transformation and embellishment.
• Thick branches are a good distinction of reality.
• The branches are not connected with the trunk - a departure from reality that does not correspond to desires, an attempt to "escape" into dreams and games.

Trunk

• An over-emphasized trunk is emotional immaturity.
• Scars, hollow, broken branch - trauma, accident, illness, rape.
• Shaded trunk - internal anxiety, suspicion, fear of being abandoned; covert aggressiveness.
• The trunk in the form of a broken dome - the desire to be like a mother, to do everything like her, or the desire to be like her father, to measure strength with him, a reflection of failures.
• A trunk from one line - a refusal to really look at things.
• The trunk is drawn with thin lines, the crown is thick - it can assert itself and act freely.
• Trunk lines with pressure - determination, activity, productivity.
• Trunk lines are straight - dexterity, resourcefulness, does not linger on disturbing facts.
• Trunk lines are crooked - activity is inhibited by anxiety and thoughts about insurmountable obstacles.
• "Vermicelli" - a tendency to stealth for the sake of abuse, unforeseen attacks, hidden rage.
• The trunk is open and connected with foliage - high intelligence, normal development, the desire to preserve the inner world.
• The trunk is torn off the ground - lack of contact with the outside world; everyday life and spiritual life are little connected.
• The trunk is limited from below - a feeling of unhappiness, a search for support.
• The trunk expands downwards - the search for a reliable position in its circle.
• The trunk tapers downward - a sense of security in a circle that does not give the desired support; isolation and the desire to strengthen one's "I" against a restless world.
• The overall height - the bottom quarter of the sheet - dependence, lack of faith in oneself, compensatory dreams of power.
• Overall height - the lower half of the sheet - less pronounced dependency and timidity.
• The overall height is three-quarters of a leaf - a good adaptation to the environment.
• The general height - the sheet is used entirely - wants to be noticed, count on others, assert itself.

crown height

• 1/8 page - lack of reflection and control. Norm for a child of four years.
• 1/4 page - the ability to make sense of your experience and slow down your actions
• 3/8 pages - good control and reflection.
• 1/2 page - interiorization, hopes, compensatory dreams.
• 5/8 pages - intense spiritual life.
• 6/8 pages - is directly dependent on intellectual development and spiritual interests.
• 7/8 pages - foliage almost full page - flight into dreams.

Image manner

Earth

• The earth is depicted with one line - focus on the goal, the adoption of some order.
• The earth is depicted in several different ways - acting according to its own rules, the need for an ideal.
• Several joint lines depicting the earth and touching the edge of the sheet - spontaneous contact, sudden removal, impulsiveness, capriciousness.
• The lack of a ground line is susceptibility to stress.
• The line of the earth is marked, but there are no roots - repressed emotions.
• The earth rises to the right edge of the picture - enthusiasm, enthusiasm.
• The earth sinks to the right edge of the sheet - a breakdown, lack of aspirations.

There are many ways to identify and analyze the basic emotional and intellectual characteristics of a particular person. The "House, tree, person" (HTP) technique is an interesting and informative test that will tell a lot of important things about the diagnostic participant.

Characteristics of the psychological technique "House, tree, person

Each person is a separate, definite personality, which will not be a second time. People differ in the very essence of the soul; their resemblance is only superficial. The more one becomes himself, the deeper and clearer his original features appear.

Valery Bryusov, Russian poet, prose writer and playwright

A projective test for obtaining personality characteristics "House, tree, person" was proposed in the late 40s of the twentieth century by the American neuropsychologist J. Book. Initially, it was used to study the limits of an individual's performance in production, as well as to determine the characteristics of his relationship with the team, which at that time was the most important. However, over time, the followers of Buk adapted this technique for children, and also somewhat simplified the diagnostic procedure. The objectives of the study are to evaluate:

• personal qualities of the subject;
• level of mental development;
• socialization among peers (especially important for kids who enter kindergarten).

As for the age of the subjects, for the first time the test can be carried out with a child after he reaches 3-4 years old, when the baby will already have formed elementary ideas about the rules for depicting objects.

Proper conduct of the projective drawing test

Work can be carried out both in a group and individually. The only caveat is that if the reception is implemented in a team, then the association should not have more than 4 people. By the way, many psychologists defend their position that the most appropriate form of work is still individual, since in this case the experimenter has the opportunity to ask some leading questions.

For work, the subject receives a sheet of A4 paper and a hard-soft pencil, so that in the future it would be possible to assess the force of pressure on the sheet. The diagnostic algorithm is as follows:

1. The experimenter, at his own discretion, determines which model of conduct is more productive. First: the child is given a sheet bent in the form of an accordion three times (usually this is used with younger children). Each object in this case will be depicted on separate spreads. Second model: allow the subject to place all three illustrations on flat paper (in this case, several new and important aspects appear for interpretation - the remoteness of a particular object, pressure, and so on).
2. The adult then recommends, "Draw the house, the tree, and the person the way you want."
3. In the process of completing the task, the test organizer must record all the comments, states and other external manifestations of the subject. Such observation will be especially important for the psychologist in case deviations are found in the subject.
4. After the work on the drawing is completed, an individual conversation is held. An adult can ask the child to explain who he drew, and also to find out if the character is in a good mood, what affects his well-being and why the subject likes the depicted character the most.

The time of the test is limited only formally - 20-30 minutes. Usually children cope with the task faster.

Processing and interpretation of the results of the child

Scoring and analysis

First of all, the experimenter must evaluate the symptom complexes of the subject's personality. To do this, each of the 8 syndromes is evaluated on points from 0 to 3 points (0 - the element is not identified, 1 - the symptom is partially manifested, 2 - the symptom is detected halfway, 3 - complete coincidence).

Maximum possible points:

1. Insecurity - 32.
2. Anxiety - 33.
3. Self-confidence - 8.
4. Feeling of completeness - 16.
5. Hostility - 15.
6. Conflict, frustration - 23.
7. Communication difficulties - 18.
8. Depression - 10.

If the result for each indicator exceeds 50% of the possible number of points, then this indicates that the child needs professional help from a psychologist and the selection of a correctional program. The norm is the sum of points scored from zero to a quarter of each maximum value.

Interpretation of drawing features

Not a single detail in the process of analyzing a drawing can be superfluous. Here are some nuances you should pay attention to when viewing the image and interpreting the behavior of the child:

Interpretation of the key objects of the drawing

House

• If the building is old, then the subject shows a rejection of himself.
• If the house is located in the foreground, then the child is hospitable, likes to spend time with peers.
• The steps leading to the door betray the rationality of the “artist’s” thinking, but if they run into a blank wall, the subject has problems establishing communicative contact.
• The manner in which the walls are depicted indicates the ability to control the situation. So, too thick walls with a clear outline - the desire to be included in everything that happens in the real world. But thin, almost imperceptible contour lines give out the opposite: a desire to close oneself from reality.
• The pipe symbolizes warmth and comfort. By its absence, the subject shows a lack of heat. The drainpipe is a symbol of suspiciousness.
• Distortion of the details of the house reveals the hostility of the subject. The same can be said about the absence or, conversely, an excessive number of doors, windows and rooms. A clear line delimiting the floors of the premises indicates a rational approach to resolving issues.
• The analysis of the image of doors deserves special attention. If they are not marked in the house, then it is difficult for the child to open up to other people, including relatives. The presence of only lateral ones indicates the desire of the subject to run away from problems, to yield. Pay attention to the order of the image of the element: the door, completed last, indicates an unwillingness to communicate with people. An unlocked door is a symbol of openness. The larger the size of this item, the more comfortable the child feels in life. The castle testifies to secrecy and hostility towards others.
• A well-drawn roof is a tribute to the desire to be protected. At an older age - a manifestation of infantilism. Too much overhang indicates that the subject is living in their fantasies.
• The presence of extensions may indicate resentment or anger towards the person who owns this house.
• A building in motion is an indicator of psychophysical disturbances.
• The traced interior of the living room shows the need for live communication.
• The absence of windows indicates aloofness and hostility. In the drawings of kids, you can often notice a lot of openings. This indicates a desire to explore the world by any means. Open shutters or curtains show the subject's anxiety. Wide open windows indicate the straightness of the subject. Introverted children often draw these elements with castles. It is also important to pay attention to the distribution of openings. If they are concentrated on the first floor, then the child is very open; on the second - the fantasy world captures the subject more than the real one.
• If the path to the house is shown as short, then the subject prefers loneliness, a winding path betrays a creative person, but a straight path - an innovator who will always look for easy ways in everything. But if the path narrows towards the house, then the child is cheerful and sociable in public, and at home he prefers to “recharge” in silence.

Wood

• Foliage. The rounded shape of the crown indicates excessive emotionality, but the round leaf pattern indicates that the child feels abandoned. If the leaves are indicated schematically, then this is a sure sign that the subject wants to close people. If a child painted palm leaves, then he dreams of traveling. Mesh-shaped leaves are a symbol of the ability to solve problems on their own.
• Lowered branches are a sign of unwillingness to make an effort, but those raised up, on the contrary, show enthusiasm. In adolescence, it is also a lust for power. Branches splayed in different directions indicate a search for ways of self-affirmation, but in children such an arrangement indicates confusion.
• A well-drawn crown shows exaltation, emotionality of the subject.
• Trunk. If it is drawn in one line, then the subject does not want to look at the world objectively, preferring to live in an illusory world. The curve is an indicator of lethargy. A tree torn out of the soil indicates a child's lack of contact with the outside world. When the trunk expands downward, this indicates that the child is looking for sympathy and support from loved ones.
• If there are not one, but two trees in the illustration, then perhaps the person being tested in this way showed himself and a significant adult for him (this requires clarification in the conversation).
• The image of the earth with one stroke shows the desire for order, and with several - the desire to obey only one's own rules. The latter variant is most often seen in illustrations made by children, which merit the designation "obedient".
• Small roots symbolize curiosity, which is the driving force behind almost all the actions of the subject. Two lines as roots are the desire to suppress some manifestations in oneself (not always bad).
• The symmetry of the plant shows the craving of the subject to be in harmony with the outside world. It is also a manifestation of the fact that the child hesitates in some kind of choice.

Did the kid draw several trees? Perhaps he simply does not follow the recommendations for taking the test, or he has signs of mental retardation. However, this does not apply to the situation when 2 trees appear in the figure.

Human

Usually most of the time children spend on the image of a person. It is important for the experimenter not to interrupt or distract the subject during this process.

• Head. With a large head, the subject shows his understanding of the concept of "smart person", and also clearly refers himself to this category. Small heads, as a symbol of intellectual underdevelopment, are drawn by children aged 9–16, especially those with learning problems. Also, a tiny part of the body indicates the shyness of the child.
• Neck. Long - the desire to control everything that happens around. Usually this element is inherent in the drawings of very active children. Thick and short indicates compliance.
• Shoulders. Wide - recognition of the power of force over the mind. Small ones are a symbol of a sense of one's own worthlessness, belittling one's own merits. Sloping shoulder girdle - a sense of guilt in front of a loved one.
• Torso. A large one speaks of dissatisfaction with something, and a small one speaks of its own low value.
• The prominent chin shows the subject's need to dominate. Wide is usually drawn by indecisive guys.
• Sparse or too thin eyebrows are usually depicted by children who relate to reality with a great deal of skepticism.
• Big ears are drawn by those who can hardly stand criticism. Disproportionately small - a symbol of the desire to drown out any attempts to influence the choice or decision of a teenager. Toddlers have no symbolic meaning.
• Small eyes show the isolation of the child. Lush eyelashes are often drawn by children aged 10–16, as at this age the desire to demonstrate themselves awakens.
• A wide smile denotes insincerity, forced friendliness. The dashed mouth demonstrates a passive acceptance of life, in babies this may be due to overprotective adults. Clearly drawn teeth are present in the pictures of guys who often show aggression.
• The larger the nose, the more cheerful the subject's disposition. The emphasis on the nostrils is made by children prone to demonstrating anger.
• Hair and eyebrows: the more these elements are shaded, the stronger the manifestations of anxiety in the subject. Unpainted hair, decorated only with a contour, speaks of the hostility of the child.
• The longer the arms, the more ambitious the child is tested. Limbs behind the back are drawn by those who do not know how to compromise. Suspicious children draw hands on their chests. Too tightly pressed to the body, the limbs are clumsy guys who constantly hear such a reproach addressed to them. Excessively large hands depict impulsive subjects. If the child generally “forgot” about the limbs, then perhaps he has some psycho-emotional disorders. Hands behind the back - this is a desire to hide something. The absence of palms may be a sign that the subject does not feel motherly love. The more fingers a child has drawn, the more ambition he has. Thin phalanxes are a symbol of hostility. Primitive knuckles symbolize callousness, sometimes even aggression. If there are less than five fingers, then the subject may be dependent on the opinions of adults and often feel powerless in resolving certain issues.
• If a child begins to depict a person from drawing legs, then the “artist” treats others with a degree of timidity. The unequal size of these limbs speaks of a desire for independence. Emphasis on the legs is usually done by subjects who tend to be rude. The absence of such body parts indicates timidity and isolation. Dependence on authoritative adults is shown by disproportionately small feet. And, on the contrary, too long give out a desire to demonstrate their independence.
• If the figure has a visible back of the head, then the child tends to isolation. The running man symbolizes the desire to hide something. The figure, shown only in outline, speaks of an unwillingness to have nothing to do with others. This situation can arise if a child (most often a teenager) has problems both with studies and with establishing contacts with peers.
• An unbalanced body in space indicates stress. The image of the doll is a recognition of its compliance. If a child drew, for example, Baba Yaga, then he has a clearly hostile attitude towards women. But a clown in adolescence is a symbol of self-contempt.

The House, Tree, Person method is a useful test for a psychologist working with children. However, the experimenter should be very careful in interpreting the test results, including notes made during the conversation with the child, as well as referring to his own experience. Only in this case the analysis can be considered objective.