NCJ Number
36863
Journal
Journal of Personality Assessment Volume: 40 Issue: 1 Dated: (1976) Pages: 91-94
Date Published
1976
Length
4 pages
Annotation
REPORT ON AN EXPERIMENT WHICH COMPARED THE KINETIC FAMILY DRAWINGS (KFD) OF DELINQUENTS TO THOSE OF NONDELINQUENTS TO DETERMINE THE POTENTIAL OF THE KFD AS A PREDICTIVE OR DIFFERENTIATING INSTRUMENT.
Abstract
THE KINETIC FAMILY DRAWING TECHNIQUE USES CHILDREN'S HUMAN FIGURE DRAWINGS TO MEASURE THE CHILD'S SENSE OF HIMSELF AMONG THE FAMILY CONSTELLATION AND HIS PERCEPTIONS OF SPECIFIC FAMILY MEMBERS. THIS STUDY COMPARED THE DRAWINGS OF 20 MALE ADOLESCENT DELINQUENTS TO A CONTROL GROUP OF 20 NORMAL MALE ADOLESCENTS TO DETERMINE WHETHER SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN THE TWO EXISTED. IT WAS HYPOTHESIZED THAT SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN THE DRAWINGS WOULD EXIST BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS, AND THAT THE DRAWINGS OF THE DELINQUENT GROUP WOULD SHOW EVIDENCE OF FAMILY PROBLEMS, POOR IMPULSE CONTROL, AND ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOR. SIGNIFICANT CHI SQUARE DIFFERENCES WERE FOUND ON ONLY THREE OF THE VARIABLES: 1) BODY OMISSION, 2) LACK OF FAMILY, AND 3) AKINESIS. THE DELINQUENT GROUP TENDED TO MANIFEST ALL THREE OF THESE TRAITS IN THEIR KFD'S. THE VALUE OF THE KFD IN TERMS OF NORMATIVE DISCRIMINATION AND/OR PREDICTION WAS FOUND TO BE SOMEWHAT INCLUSIVE IN LIGHT OF THE LOW NUMBER OF DISTINGUISHING TRAITS AND THE SMALL SIZE OF THE SAMPLE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)