Patients' drawings illustrate psychological and functional status in heart failure.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the heart drawings of patients with heart failure are associated with their psychological, functional, and clinical status.


METHODS
Sixty patients with heart failure completed a written questionnaire that included a heart drawing task, measures of psychological functioning, and illness perceptions.


RESULTS
Patients drew their heart significantly bigger in height when they depicted their heart with failure as compared with how they depicted their heart before their heart failure. Greater levels of heart-specific anxiety were associated with significantly larger drawings as measured by height and overall area. Compared with those who drew no damage, patients who drew damage had significantly higher levels of depression and more negative beliefs about their illness. Drawings also had a significant relationship with the clinical markers of illness severity, B-type natriuretic peptide level, and sodium level.


CONCLUSIONS
Heart drawings of patients with heart failure are associated with important psychological and clinical indicators of health status. Drawings offer an innovative way to understand patients' perceptions of illness and personal models of heart failure.
Reynolds
Lisa
L
Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Broadbent
Elizabeth
E
Ellis
Chris J
CJ
Gamble
Greg
G
Petrie
Keith J
KJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D011386:Projective Techniques; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires