Original Articles
Evaluation of the usefulness of children’s drawings and story-lines in the assessment of psychological state
Authors:
H Perera ,
Professor of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Colombo, LK
K Wanigasinghe,
Registrar Psychiatry, Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Colombo, LK
CDK Mudalige,
Registrar Psychiatry, Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Colombo, LK
HMPP Karunaweera,
Registrar Psychiatry, Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Colombo, LK
YAC Jayasinghe,
Nursing Officer, Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Colombo, LK
WD Neelamani,
Nursing Officer, Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Colombo, LK
MSV Sandyanganie,
Nursing Officer, Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Colombo, LK
GKDCA Dambadeniya,
Nursing Officer, Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Colombo, LK
JMMT Chandradasa,
Nursing Officer, Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Colombo, LK
AMGDN Weerasekara,
Nursing Officer, Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Colombo, LK
EMDK Ekanayake,
Nursing Officer, Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Colombo, LK
KD Ranjani
Nursing Officer, Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Colombo, LK
Abstract
Introduction Children are known to display their thoughts and emotions in drawings and storylines. This study attempts to evaluate their clinical usefulness.
Objectives To study the correlation between psychological states assessed through drawings and storylines and that assessed medically, in inpatients with psychological problems.
Method Drawings and storylines on selected themes produced by children were assessed by nurses on 6 clinical parameters, using guidelines provided to ensure consistency. This data was compared with the medical assessments on same parameters, which was used as the "gold standard".
Results Good correlation was found in identification of mood states and emotional distress. Correlation regarding cognitive development and self esteem was less satisfactory.
Conclusions Such methods are useful subsidiary tools to medical assessments but caution in interpretation is necessary in some parameters.
Key words: children's drawings, anxiety, psychological evaluation
DOI = 10.4038/sljch.v36i1.39
Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 2007; 36: 6-9
How to Cite:
Perera, H., Wanigasinghe, K., Mudalige, C., Karunaweera, H., Jayasinghe, Y., Neelamani, W., Sandyanganie, M., Dambadeniya, G., Chandradasa, J., Weerasekara, A., Ekanayake, E. and Ranjani, K., 2008. Evaluation of the usefulness of children’s drawings and story-lines in the assessment of psychological state. Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 36(1), pp.6–9. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/sljch.v36i1.39
Published on
23 Sep 2008.
Peer Reviewed
Downloads
