Expressed area of synthetic HTP test and school maladjustment in Japanese early adolescents

ABSTRACT

This study examined the speculative relationships between the area used for drawing the three images of House, Tree, and Person in the synthetic HTP test and measures of school maladjustment in Japanese early adolescents. The participants consisted of 130 junior high school students. Records for non-attendance and scores on the Social Competence Scale were correlated with maladjustment scores and the areas used for drawing the House, Tree, and Person. The expression area devoted to trees was significantly negatively correlated with the tendency to choose ‘to stay outside regular classrooms’ and significantly positively correlated with scores for social competence. The area devoted to drawing the person was significantly negatively correlated with the self-reported tendency ‘to engage in delinquent activities’. The findings of this projective test may have implications for school counsellors, psychologists identifying school maladjustment.

KEYWORDS:

• Synthetic HTP test
• school maladjustment
• adolescent

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science: [26780404].

Notes on contributors

Mikie Suzuki

Mikie Suzuki is assistant professor of Psychotherapy Center, Kinjo Gakuin University. She received her Ph.D. at Kinjo Gakuin University in 2011. Her main research interests are clinical psychology and school counseling.

Daiki Kato

Daiki Kato is associate professor of College of Human Sciences, Kinjo Gakuin University. He worked as a designated assistant professor of Center for Student Counseling, Nagoya University and lecturer of College of Human Sciences, Kinjo Gakuin University. He received his Ph.D. at Nagoya University in 2008. His main research interests are clinical psychology and art therapy.