TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2005//
TI  - Build-a-Person Technique: an examination of the validity of human-figure features as evidence of childhood sexual abuse
JO  - Child abuse and neglect
A1  - Williams, Simon D.
A1  - Wiener, Judy
A1  - MacMillan, Harriet L.
SP  - 701
EP  - 713
VL  - 29
IS  - 6
N2  - 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>
LA  - en
SN  - 0145-2134
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2004.10.013
ID  - ref1
ER  -