Study of anxiety symptoms in drawing-a-person test of Khorramabad 10 years old children

• Main Authors: hosein Ebrahimi Moghaddam, afsaneh Badrizadeh, ali farhadi
• Format: Article
• Language: fas
• Published: Lorestan University of Medical Science 2014-03-01
• Series: Yafteh
• Subjects: Anxiety; Children; Drawing-a-person test (DAP).
• Online Access: http://yafte.lums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-462&slc_lang=en&sid=1

Background: Anxiety disorders are among the most common disorders in children that may lead to many other disorders for them such as low self-esteem, social isolation, poor social skills and educational problems. Considering the importance of these disorders, we decided to measure the symptoms of anxiety in drawing-a-person test for children of Khorramabad city. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study 455 students in the fourth grade of primary school in Khorramabad were selected using cluster sampling and using the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS) their anxiety was evaluated. Then 102 cases selected for the test (51 cases among children who had obtained a high score on indicated scale) and control group (51 cases among children who had low score on indicated scale). Drawing-a-person test executed. Finally, indicators were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation), inferential statistics tests (Chi-square test and t test) and SPSS software. Results: Significant signs (p>0.05) in test group children (anxious) were: small eyes, very bold graphic lines, parallel lines shaded and plaid, scrawl and repeated cleaning - abnormal physical state, to use black color, anxious face of dummy, small head, long legs, big feet, horizontal and inflexible arms and closed hands. Also signs of anxiety were significant based on sex in drawing-a-person test. Conclusion: According to findings of the present research and importance of anxiety disorders recognition in childhood and its impact on life time, it is suggested to pay more attention to these signs of children's drawings. Through timely diagnosis of children with anxiety disorders, future impacts of anxiety can be prevented.