Clinical Assessment: Projective tests

Zoltan Kovary PhD

ELTE PPKDepartment of Clinical Psychology and Addictology

2015/16 Autumn Semester

The basic forms of personality tests used in clinical workObjective testsSimple scalesBeck Depression Inventory (BDI)Spielbergers State-Traits Anxiety Inventory (STAI)More complex inventoriesMinnesota Multiphase Personality Inventory (MMPI)Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ)

Projective testsAssociativeJungs word association testRorschachBased on ChoiceSzondi test CompletionPicture Frustration TestSentence completion methods ConstructiveThematic Association Test Expressive Projective Drawings

The development of projective methods

Leonardo da VinciCracks on the wallE. KraepelinWord association testBinet, 1886Using picturesW. SternClouds as stimuli in assessmentH. Rorschach, 1921Investigation of the entire personality

The projective tests

Lawrence K. Frank, 1939: projextive tests Jung, Murray, RorschachInvestigating the entire personality, abilities are subordianated to global orientationThe stimuli are not equivocalThe projection of latent wishes and feelingsIts not the freudian projection, rather a reflecting attribution

The basic typi of projective testsAssociativeJungs word association testRorschachBased on ChoiceSzondi test CompletionPicture Frustration TestSentence completion methods ConstructiveThematic Association Test Expressive Projective Drawings

Features of projective tests I.

Answers are not accidentalThe examinees answers are containing his/her needs, emotions, conflicts, defenses (unconscious)Indirect methodsFree from manipulation, the examinee doesnt know what the answers refer toThe possible number of the answers are infiniteNo right or wrong answers

Features of projective tests II

Examines the whole personalityThe clinician is interpreting along several dimensionsNeeds, adaptation, ego defence, diagnostic marksThe psychological phenomena appear indirectlyE.g.: Agression in perceptual specificies

Jungs Word Association Test

The method of word association

Word association method in the turn of 19th-20th centuryC.G. Jung: 1904-05Psychoanalysis100 words as stimuli - reactionsTheory of complexes

The usage of word association test

100 words as stimuliWords as answers Rection timeEvocationReaction time of evocation

The sign of complexes in the test

Increased rection timeAnswering more than one wordsIncorrect expression of the associationStrange linguistic and metacommunicative manifestations

Strange answers (like yes or no)The answer is mot connected to the stimulusAnswer on a foreign languageLack of reactionRepetition of the stimulus

Zay, 2002

PFT Picture Frustration Test

Saul Rosenzweig (1907-2004)

Harvard Psychology Clinic, 1929-1934Some Implicit Common Factors in Diverse Forms of Psychotherapy , 1936Explorations in personality, 1938 (ed. Henry Murray)Clark University, Worcester, 1938 1943 Picture Frustration Test1950: IdiodynamicsFreud, Jung and Hall the Kingmaker

Theoretical backgroundFrustrationPrimarySecondaryAgressionDollard & MillerThe possible directions of aggressive responseTolerance of frustrationGCR: Group Conformity RatingBiological and psychogenetic factorsEgo weekness

Reactions to frustration I.The direction of agressive reactionsExtra-, intro- and inpunitiveNot a personality typePatognomic featuresEmotions and judgementsDynamic and genetic basisInstintcsAttitudes of identificationPsychopathological aspectsModes of defenceMental disordersLibidinal types by Freud

A frusztrcira adott reakci II.A reakci tpusa

Obstacle-DominanceEgo-DefenceNeed-Persistence

Structure and usage of PFT

24 drawings about frustrating situationsEgo-blocking1,3,4,6,8,9,11,12,13,14, 15,18,20,23,24Superego-blocking2,5,7,10,16,17,19,21InstructionsDocumentation

The notion of respones

O D E - DN-PExtrapunitiveEE, (E)eIntrapunitive II, (I)iInpunitMMm

InterpretationGCR index Normal zone (40-60 T) or GCR+ ill. Reaction typeO-D+ (>60T) or O-D (60T) or E-D (60T) or N-P (60T) or E total - (60T) or I total - (60T) or M total - (60T)

Henry Murray & T.A.T.

Henry Murray (1893-1988)Life historical contextChristiana MorganC.G. JungHerman MelvilleHarvard Psychological ClinicPersonologyNeeds Themes Press Thematic dispositions (idiographic approach)AssessmentThematic Apperception Test

The themesThe basic units of psychological processesThe connectivity of special needs and special presses into uniqe themes

Press NeedPress Need THEMEPress Need

The birth of TAT

Explorations in personality, 19381935-1943Murray and Christiana MorganDinamyc personality theoryNeeds, motives, wishesAnxietyDefences

Compromise formationDreamsTAT stories

Taking TAT test

InstructionActive encouragementFirst sessionWe dont speak about continuationSecond sessionContains a white platePost test

Some TAT pictures

The process of signification in TATPROJECTIONELABORATION IN FANTASYIDENTIFICATION

Analysis and interpretation of contets

Motives of the protagonistBasic needsSpecial needsEnvironmental effectsSolutions Investment rateStandardsWishfulfillmentCompromiseFrustrationThemes

Classification according to the special content of the pictures

Every picture refers to a special theme Grouping of the picturesAnxietyAgressionSexualityAttachmentSelf-actualizationGulity feelingsFamilyFeminitySelf-esteem

Interpretation

Deeper layers of personalityLatent wishesttteles megjelensFantasy/inner worldIndirect manifestationsManifest behaviorResistance

The Rorschach-test

The Rorschach - test

Hermann Rorschach (1884 - 1922)1921 - PsychodiagnosticsIn structuring the unsettled materialOur cognitive, behavioral and our attitudinal habits are prevailing unconsciouslyZulliger, 1950 Simplified (3 pictures)Harrower, 1945Choosing among answerBagdy & alRorschach for couples

The protocol of Rorschach-examination

Clinical question!!!Building personal contact with the examineeTaking the testCircumstancesProcessPost-testNomination of the records

The five aspects of the nomination

I. The size of the blotsG, D, Dd, zwLocalizationII. DeterminantsShape, clour, shade, motionIII. Content52 categoriesIV. CommonnessV. Special reactions

InterpretationBy indicatorsSummation of the I-IV coloumnsSequential interpretationOn a plateQualitiesSuccessionBetween plateQualitiesAccording to the special content of the particular plates

Psychological judgement

Thank you for your attention!