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.


METHODS
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.
Williams
Simon D
SD
Department of Human Development and Applied Psychology, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Canada.
Wiener
Judy
J
MacMillan
Harriet
H
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D011386:Projective Techniques; D002666:Psychology, Child; D015203:Reproducibility of Results