Build-a-Person Technique: an examination of the validity of human-figure features as evidence of childhood sexual abuse.

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.