title: Listen to them draw: screening children in primary care through the use of human figure drawings.
abstract: This literature review focuses on the Human Figure Drawing (HFD) methods put forth by Elizabeth Koppitz as a screening instrument. Children's drawings have potential as a mental health screening aide for health care practitioners in the primary care setting. This paper focuses on self-portrait drawings as a screening technique for emotional well-being, anxiety, and depression in school-aged children (6-12 years old). Using Koppitz's emotional indicators checklist for mental health, practitioners can use the child's HFD as a quick screening tool. Although the HFD is not diagnostic and can not be used as the sole indicator for anxiety or depression, two or more emotional indicators may signal to the clinician that further psychiatric assessment and referral is needed.
authors.affiliation: Yale University School of Nursing, USA.
authors.forename: Anna H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Tielsch
authors.forename: Patricia Jackson
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Allen
mesh_terms: D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001155:Art Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions; D005239:Fear; D018594:Human Body; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing; D008603:Mental Health; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D010551:Personality; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D002666:Psychology, Child; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012649:Self Concept