@article{ref1,
title="Build-a-Person Technique: an examination of the validity of human-figure features as evidence of childhood sexual abuse",
journal="Child abuse and neglect",
year="2005",
author="Williams, Simon D. and Wiener, Judy and MacMillan, Harriet L.",
volume="29",
number="6",
pages="701-713",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: This exploratory study examined the discriminant validity of 10 human-figure features commonly used by many proponents of the draw-a-person (DAP) projective technique as evidence of childhood sexual abuse. Two exploratory features were also examined. METHOD: Rather than drawing human figures, 64 children (M = 8 years, 9 months), including 19 sexually abused children, 26 nonsexually abused but emotionally/behaviourally troubled children, and 19 nonabused, nonclinical children, were instructed to build male and female figures using groups of prefabricated pieces of human-figure body parts. Unbeknownst to the children, each group of parts contained a potential sexual abuse feature (or features). RESULTS: None of the human-figure features under examination, either individually, or in combination, distinguished the sexually abused group from the other two groups of children. CONCLUSIONS: In accordance with years worth of DAP projective technique research, no support for the validity of the human-figure features under examination as evidence of childhood sexual abuse, was found.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0145-2134",
doi="10.1016/j.chiabu.2004.10.013",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2004.10.013"
}