Figure Drawing as an Expression of Self-esteem
- 1 August 1976
- journal article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Personality Assessment
- Vol. 40 (4) , 370-375
- https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa4004_5
Abstract
Figure drawings were obtained from 97 preadolescent males who differed in self and behavioral assessments of self-esteem. These subjects had been selected from a much larger sample and represented five different types of self-esteem. The figure drawings were scored for 15 variables, dealing with formal characteristics, content, and global-interpretations of the total drawings. Five significant differences were obtained, with the content and global-interpretative categories proving more differentiating between self-esteem groups than did the formal characteristics. Behavioral expressions of self-esteem were more associated with figure drawing characteristics than were subjective evaluations. Discussion focuses on the nature of self-concept and self-esteem in children as a sensorimotor rather than symbolic expression.Keywords
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