The use of the human figure drawing with pregnant women

Human figure drawings (HFDs) taken from the Prenatal Art Therapy Intervention and Inventory (PATII) were scored in exploratory research using the adapted Formal Elements Art Therapy Scale (FEATS) and Content Tally Sheet [L. Gantt & C. Tabone (1998) Formal Elements Art Therapy Scale: the rating manual, Morgantown, WV: Gargoyle Press] to observe structural elements of the drawings. Out of three groups of 20 high risk outpatient (HRO), 20 high risk inpatient (HRI), and 20 low risk outpatient (LR) prenatal women (60 drawings), 10 HFDs from each group (30 drawings) were randomly selected and scored. Preliminary statistical analysis focused on five adapted FEATS scales scoring for visual structural elements assessing colour, space, detail, person, and implied energy. The structural elements of the drawings scored with the FEATS indicated that the two high risk groups consistently scored low, suggesting a tendency for depression, while the LR group scored high, suggesting an absence of this tendency. In addition, visual observations noted differences between the groups for transparencies, visibility of foetus, and colour usage. These data give a preliminary indication for future research using a nonverbal tool, like the HFD, to investigate prenatal emotions or psychological distress (such as depression or anxiety).