Analysis of Family Drawings:

The Draw-A-Family Test was administered to 108 Swedish children. Fifty four children were from divorce families (27 girls, 27 boys) and 54 (27 girls, 27 boys) from intact families. The age of the subjects was ranging between 10 and 12 years. Focus was placed on which family members were included in the drawings, the prevailing mood of the figures, and on the tendencies to make profile drawings and to omit hands and feet. The results showed that divorce boys omitted their siblings more often than did girls or non-divorce boys, suggesting more intensive sibling rivalry. However, both divorce and non-divorce children usually included the father and depicted him as being as large or larger than the mother. It appears that in this way children express the important role that their fathers continue to play in their lives. The findings reflected a larger degree of family relationship problems in the divorce group. These problems were expressed by the omission of family members and also by the separation of one or more figures from the rest, by hidden or omitted hands and feet, and by figures drawn in profile.