DAP:SPED: Draw A

Person: Screening
Procedure for
Emotional Disturbance

Rajashree Srivastava
 DAP:SPED helps identify children and adolescents
ages 6 to 17 who have emotional problems and
What is require further evaluation
DAP:SPED Ages: 6 through 17
Testing Time: 20 minutes
Administration: Individual or Group
 Goodenough Machover-Figure
developed draw a drawing is
man test to projective.
measure cognitive Believed certain
ability and
emotional aspects
omissions or
signs in drawings Koppitz-uses
of children. total number of
Believed drawings could indicate
emotional items, not 1-1
held “profound
conflict. interpretation
meaning.”

1948 1963 1988

Historical
Background 1926 1949 1968

Buck developed Harris- Naglieri-Draw a

first systematic Goodenough- person: A
approach to Harris Draw a Quantitative
assessing a person test-3 Scoring System-
drawing with pics and self pic cognitive deficits
House-Tree- experimental
Person
Assessment
Development, Validity &
Reliability of DAP:SPED
• Draw A Person: Screening Procedure for Emotional
Disturbance - DAP:SPED was developed by Jack A.
Naglieri, Timothy J. McNeish & Achilles N. Bardos
during 1991
• They researched over 70 years of Draw a Person
Interpretations only to realize that the scoring rules
were vague and lacked objectivity and had low
reliability.
• The tests represented more emotional vulnerability in
drawings of children hence making it import to assess
them through a valid system.
• 2,260 children (6780 drawings were evaluated on 93
items) of Ages 6 - 17 years were administered with the
tests DAP:SPED. Total Test Reliabilities are
Ages 6-8 = .76
Ages 9-12 = .77
Ages 13-17 = .71
 Good psychometric properties
Why DAP:SPED
Easy and objective scoring

Standardized on a representative
sample
Empirically sound
 DAP:SPED Is not a complete diagnostic test but
rather a initial screening test.

Children best communicate through drawings

and since DAP:SPED analyses the drawings of
Criteria for the subject’s language is not a barrier.
using The test itself gives scope of further analysis
DAP:SPED and the psychologist can focus on problem
areas and make other evaluations,

Best suited for Emotional analysis of children

who do not open up easily
HOW TO ADMINISTER DAP:SPED
• The DAP:SPED test can be administered in group or with Individuals.
• Can be administered on children from age group 6-17years old.
• The time to administer is a maximum of five minutes for each drawing which are
labeled man, woman and self
• The directions provided should be clear and must be repeated if children need
repeating. It must be non persuasive and non threatening.
• Directions would go like this, I would like you to draw some pictures for me, First I
would like you to Draw a man. Make the very best picture that you can. Take your
time and Draw very carefully and I will tell you where to stop. Remember, be sure
to draw the whole man. Please begin (Give five minutes and then stop, repeat the
same instructions for woman and self)
• The time to administer is a maximum of five minutes for each drawing which are
labeled man, woman and self. The individual or group is instruct to draw, a
picture of a man with the page labeled man, woman or self
 • Once the picture had been taken, make sure to use
the correct age appropriate template to make
scoring.
• There are 3 age appropriate templates
Ages 6-8, 9-12, 13-17
• DAP:SPED comprises of 55 scoring criteria/items
SCORING IN that are applied for the three (Man, woman & self)
drawings separately.
DAP: SPED • The raw scores from all three drawings are then
converted to T-scores.
• The first nine items refer to the physical aspects of
drawings where as the last remaining items are
Content specific
 Physical Dimensions
of Scoring

• Tall Figure
• Short figure
• Big Figure
• Little Figure
• Top Placement
• Bottom Placement
• Left Placement
• Right Placement
• Slanting figure
Content Analysis
• Head Omitted •
• Legs together • Hair Omitted
Reaching Arms
• Baseline Drawn • Pressed to Torso
• Eyes Omitted • Inconsistent Position
• Lettering /Numbering • Nose Omitted • Hands cut off
• Rotated Page • Torso Omitted • Hidden hands
• Mouth Omitted
• Left/Right Figure • Fists
• Arms Omitted • Talons
• Figure Facing away • Fingers Omitted • Aggressive Symbols
• Failed Integration • Legs Omitted • Object Attached
• Transparencies • Feet Omitted • Background Fill In
• Restart • Crotch Erasure • Monster
• Vacant Eyes •
• Hand Shading • Closed Eyes
Multiple Figures
• Feet Shading • Nude Figure
• Crossed Eyes • Uniformed Figure
• Outside Shading • Frowning Mouth
• Crotch Shading • Slash Mouth
• Teeth
• Eyes Gazing left/Right
Scoring Details (Physical Dimension)
Tall Figure
Give a score of 1 if the distance between the uppermost and the lowermost
points of the figure is greater than the height of Line 1. score 0 if other wise.
Short Figure
Assign a score 1 if the distance between the uppermost point of the figure
and the lowermost point of the figure is less than Line 2.
Big Figure
A score of 1 is assigned if the figure exceeds both the vertical and horizontal
dimensions of Box 3
Short Figure
Scored 1 if the figure fits completely within Box 4
Top Placement
is scored 1 when any part of the figure is in Box 5 and the figure is entirely
above Line 5
Scoring Details (Physical Dimensions)
Bottom Placement
A score of “1” when any part of the figure is in Box 6 and the figure is entirely
below Line.
Left Placement
Scored when any part of the figure is in Box 7 and the figure is entirely to the
left of Line 7
Right Placement
is scored when any part of the figure is in Box 8 and the figure is entirely to
the right of Line 8.
Slanting Figure
Is scored 1 if the vertical axis of the figure (i.e., the line from midpoint of
head width to midpoint of stance width) deviates by 15 degrees or more
from a perpendicular to the bottom edge of the page
Scoring Details (Content
Dimension)
Legs Together
Score if the legs are drawn together with no visible space between legs
or if only one leg is visible in profile.
Baseline Drawn
Score 1 if a ground line is drawn.
Lettering/Numbering
1 score if letters, words, phrases, or numbers appear anywhere on the
page other than on the figure (on the figure includes worn accessories)
Rotated Page
Assign a score if the picture extends to folded or rotated page
Content Analysis Scoring
Left/Right-Facing Figure
is scored if the entire figure or head only is in the left-facing
or right-facing profile.
Figure Facing Away
is scored if the entire figure or head only is facing away from
the viewer so that only the back of the head is visible.
Failed Integration (Content
Analysis)
Score of 1 is assigned if any of the following are present but
not attached:
• head is attached to neck or top of torso
• two arms (one if in profile) are attached to the top
half of the torso (above the halfway mark in the
vertical measurement of the torso or bottom of a
dress). The torso extends from the top of the trunk,
where it meets the head or neck, to the bottom,
where it meets the legs or crotch.
• two legs (one if in profile) are attached at the bottom
of the torso (below the halfway mark in the vertical
measurement of the torso or bottom of a dress).
Content Analysis (Sexuality)
Transparency
If any body part shows through clothing or another
body part a score of 1 is assigned.
Crotch Shading
If pencil strokes are present on the figure’s crotch
area (below the waistline or belt and above the
knee area of the leg), or shading it must be scored
1.
 Content Analysis
Restart/Inconsistencies

Restart
is scored if one or more human figures are
obviously erased, scratched out, or merely left
incomplete
 Only a complete Omission would be scored as 1,
attempted drawings will not be taken as
Omissions in Omissions
Head Omitted
Content is scored if the figure’s head is absent. Any
Analysis attempted representation of a head cannot be
scored as an omission.
 Hair Omitted
Score of 1 figure has no hair on its head
Eyes Omitted
Scored 1 if the figure’s eyes are absent.
Omissions in Nose Omitted
Content Score 1 if the figure’s nose is absent
Mouth Omitted
Analysis Score 1 if the figure’s mouth is absent.
Torso Omitted
Scored 1 if the figure’s torso is absent
Omissions in Content Analysis
Arms Omitted
Score 1 if the figure has no arms.
Fingers Omitted
Score of 1if the figure has no fingers
Legs Omitted
Score of 1 if the figure has no legs.
Feet Omitted
Scored 1 if the figure has no feet.
Crotch Erasure
Score 1 if the Crotch Area is erased
or omitted
Shading in Content
Analysis
Hand Shading
Score of 1 if Pencil strokes or Shading is
present in the Hand area
Feet Shading
Score of 1 if Pencil strokes or Shading is
present in the feet.
Outside Shading
Score of 1 if Pencil strokes or Shading is
present in outside of picture background.
Eyes in Content Analysis
Vacant Eyes
If both the eyes are Empty
Closed Eyes
Score 1 if both the figure’s eyes are closed.
Crossed Eyes
Score 1 if both the figure’s eyes are crossed.
Gazing Left/Right
Score 1 if both the figure’s eyes are gazing toward the left or right.
Content Analysis Mouth
Frowning Mouth
Score of 1 the figure’s mouth is frowning.
Slash Mouth
Score of 1 if the figure’s mouth is a straight line or slash.
Teeth
Scored 1 if Teeth are present and mostly look baring angrily
Object In Mouth
Score of 1 if there is an object in mouth
Content Analysis Arms
Reaching Arms
Score 1 if both the figure’s arms (including hands)
extend above the top of the figure’s head.
Inconsistent Position Of Arms
Score of 1 if each of the figure’s arms is in a different
position (i.e., reaching, outstretched, hanging, or
pressed to torso)
Hands Cut Off or Hidden
Score of 1 if hands are cut off or hidden under pockets
Fists and Talons
A score of 1 if hands are formed into fists or have big
claws or talons
 Aggression or
aggressive Symbols

A score of 1 is assigned for the

presence of one or more
aggressive symbols, gestures,
or written statements (e.g.,
guns, knives, clubs, written
profanity, or other symbols of
aggression).
Inconsistencies outside the individual Image
Object Attached
A score of 1 for the presence of one or more objects attached to, or
being held by, the figure (e.g., handbag, briefcase, backpack, baseball
bat, but excluding aggressive symbols and articles such as eyeglasses
and jewelry).
Background Filled In
Score 1 for the presence of anything drawn in addition to the human
figure which is not attached to or being held by the figure (e.g., animal,
automobile, building, tree, sun, moon, clouds, raindrops).
 Nude Figure
Content Score of 1 for the figure is completely nude
analysis, Uniformed Figure
Image Figure Score of 1 for the figure is in a uniform such as
nurse, policeman, army etc
Analysis and Interpretation Demo
Scoring
• Scoring starts with computing the chronological age of the individual.
• Second, summing the raw scores for the man, woman, and self-drawing to
obtain the DAP: SPED total raw score.
• The third step is to convert the Draw A Person (DAP) total raw score to a
standard score using the appropriate table in this manual by age (6-8, 9-12,
and 13-17) and gender and recorded on the Record Form
• Further Evaluation indicates the final scores
If the score is smaller than 55 (<55), Emotional disturbances is not indicated
If the Score is in between T scores 55-65, Emotional disturbances indicated
If the score is Greater than 65 (>65), Emotional disturbance is strongly
indicated
 Reporting is as important as Evaluation and
Interpretations.

The reports are a strong statement of what

does the results indicate, how relevant are
Reporting they and if any previous assumptions or
hypothesis are made they serve as prove to
these hypothesis.

A professional report holds Clinical and Legal

value.
Any
Questions?