The Conjoint Family Drawing: A Tool to Explore About Family Relationships.

In this article we will present the Conjoint Family Drawing, a graphic-interactive tool developed to evaluate family relationships. This tool allows an analytical and clinical evaluation of families and their relationships while facilitating the understanding of the overall family functioning through a synthetic coding system which distinguishes families from each other. First of all, a presentation of the analytical coding system is provided; such system consists of a grid, formed by two distinct levels of observation: the analysis of the product, which, in turn focuses on two levels, the global-familiar one (given by the overall drawing) and the individual one (given the individual members' drawings), and the analysis of the drawing process (what happens during the realization of the drawing), which is made up of the observations of family interactions at the individual and group level. Consistently with our objectives and the theoretical and methodological literature on family drawing in its various forms and ways of implementation, 10 indicators for product analysis and 9 indicators for process analysis have been identified. A sample of 117 Conjoint Family Drawings was analyzed in order to verify the coding system's applicability and effectiveness. The sample was constituted according to a convenience (not probabilistic) criterion. Following, a computing system was developed to allow the investigation of the overall family functioning through three steps: (1) the analysis of the frequency distribution of each indicator, in order to verify the non-determinability rates and the distribution of the different answer options; (2) a two-step cluster analysis, to determine homogeneous groups of Conjoint Family Drawings and identify, within each cluster (and comparatively between the clusters), the indicators and answer modalities that mostly affect the clusters' aggregation itself; (3) the development of a synthetic system to code the Conjoint Family Drawing, beginning with the indicators that define the typological profiles of the clusters obtained. The synthetic system was developed through a summative and logical-combinatorial method, merging the most discriminating and clinically significant coding items, that is, those that are best associable to specific ways of family functioning. Seven family types emerged from these analyses: families characterized by optimal functioning, families characterized by adequate functioning, families characterized by chaotic functioning, families characterized by fragile paternity, families characterized by separate functioning, families with multiproblematic functioning and residual families. The characteristics of these family types will be outlined in this article.

Can the family drawing be a useful tool for assessing attachment representations in children? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate the quality and validity of Family Drawings (FD) with an Attachment-Based Coding System in assessing attachment representations among pre-school and school-age children. A literature search in notable databases identified 645 records, of which 20 were eligible after screening and quality assessment. Results showed: 1) ABCD attachment distribution in community children was: 48% secure, 20% avoidant, 21% ambivalent, 11% disorganized. Security prevailed both in classifications and Fury et al.' scales. 2) No significant differences according to the cultural background; 3) At-risk/clinical children showed higher insecurity than community ones using scales; 4) Girls were more secure than boys. In conclusion, FD may be a culture-fair method to assess attachment representations in children. Global scales seem more reliable than ABCD classifications for discriminating at-risk and clinical children, but further studies on these groups are needed.

Attachment quality assessed from children's family drawings links to child conduct problems and callous-unemotional behaviors.

OBJECTIVE: Recently, there has been considerable research on the origins of childhood conduct problems (CP) and callous-unemotional (CU) behaviors. This study examined associations between children's attachment representations and CP and CU behaviors during middle childhood. METHOD: At 1st grade, 1,292 children (57% European American, 42.5% African American, 0.5% other race; 50.9% girls) completed a drawing of their family, which was coded by trained raters to assess attachment representations. Primary caregivers reported on children's CP and CU behaviors. RESULTS: Children with disorganized representations showed more CP and CU behaviors than children with secure and resistant representations. They were also more likely than those with secure representations to show elevated CP without CU behaviors, CU behaviors only, and co-occurring CP and CU behaviors. CONCLUSION: These findings provide support for attachment disorganization as a correlate of CP and CU behaviors and suggest that attachment representations are likely important proximal influences on children's behavior.

Estudos de fidedignidade para o Desenho da Família Cinética / Reliability studies for the Kinetic Family Drawing / Estudios de confiabilidad para el Dibujo Kinético de la Familia

Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo realizar estudos de fidedignidade para o Desenho da Família Cinética, sendo estes relativos aos parâmetros de fidedignidade entre avaliadores, intra-avaliador e estabilidade temporal/teste-reteste. Os instrumentos utilizados foram o Desenho da Família Cinética e o Teste das Matrizes Progressivas Coloridas de Raven. Participaram desses estudos dois juízes e 66 crianças, sendo 16 com problemas de aprendizagem. Para a análise de dados, utilizou-se o coeficiente kappa de Cohen, a correlação ρ de Spearman e a diferença estatística entre as médias dos pontos por meio do Teste Wilcoxon. Os resultados mostraram índices substanciais a perfeitos de concordância nos estudos de fidedignidade entre avaliadores e intra-avaliador para todos os itens de análise do Desenho da Família Cinética e, no teste-reteste, não houve diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre as médias das pontuações entre as duas aplicações. Conclui-se pela robustez psicométrica do Desenho da Família Cinética, em termos de indicadores de fidedignidade.(AU)

This study aimed to perform reliability analyses for the Kinetic Family Drawing, in relation to inter- and intra-rater reliability parameters and temporal/test-retest stability. The instruments used were the Kinetic Family Drawing and the Raven Colored Progressive Matrix Test. Twelve judges and 66 children participated in this study, 16 of whom had learning problems. For the data analysis, Cohen's kappa coefficient, Spearman's correlation coefficient ρ, and the statistical difference between the means of the points through the Wilcoxon test were used. The results showed substantial perfect agreement indices in the inter- and intra-rater reliability analyses for all items of the Kinetic Family Drawing, and in the test-retest there were no statistically significant differences between the mean scores of the two applications. The psychometric robustness of the Kinetic Family Drawing, in terms of reliability indicators, was confirmed.(AU)

Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo realizar estudios de confiabilidad para el Dibujo Kinético de la Familia, que se relaciona con los parámetros de referencia entre los evaluadores, intra-evaluadores y estabilidad temporal/test-retest. Los instrumentos utilizados fueron el Dibujo Kinético de la Familia y la Test de Matrices Progresivas de Raven. Participaron de los estudios 2 jueces y 66 niños, siendo que 16 de ellos poseían problemas de aprendizaje. Para el análisis de los datos, se utilizó el coeficiente kappa de Cohen, la correlación de Spearman ρ y la diferencia estadística entre las medias de los puntos por medio de la prueba de Wilcoxon. Los resultados mostraron índices de concordancia considerables en los estudios de confiabilidad entre evaluadores e intra-evaluadores para todos los ítems de análisis del Dibujo Kinético de la Familia y, en el test-retest, no hubo diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre las medias de las puntuaciones entre las dos aplicaciones. Se concluye por la robustez psicométrica del Dibujo Kinético de la Familia, en términos de indicadores de confiabilidad.(AU)

Concepções de famílias: Um estudo sobre as representações gráficas de crianças cariocas / Conceptions of Families: A study on the graphic representations of children from Rio de Janeiro / Concepciones de Familias: Un estudio sobre las representaciones gráficas de niños cariocas

As configurações familiares estão em processo de diversificação, de maneira que o modelo formado por homem e mulher unidos em matrimônio não é o único a ser legitimado pela sociedade. Este estudo objetivou investigar de que forma as crianças cariocas representam graficamente as famílias, tomando como base a teoria da análise do comportamento. Participaram da amostra 108 crianças cariocas (52,8% meninos e 47,2% meninas), com idades entre cinco e 12 anos (M= 8,58; DP= 1,54) e seus respectivos responsáveis (M= 36,9; DP= 7,31). Foi solicitado que as crianças desenhassem individualmente uma família e a descrevessem. Aos responsáveis foi pedido que preenchessem um questionário sociodemográfico. Os conteúdos dos desenhos e os dados do questionário sociodemográfico foram tabulados e analisados por meio do software estatístico IBM SPSS versão 22. A maior parte das crianças representou famílias tradicionais em seus desenhos. No entanto, as concepções de família pareceram mais associadas à dimensão afetiva que aos espaços de convivência e moradia. Esse estudo propôs novas perspectivas empíricas e teóricas para avaliar o desenho da família e sugere a necessidade de melhor compreender como os diversos arranjos familiares são apreendidos pelas crianças.(AU)

The family configurations are in the process of diversification, so that the model formed by man and woman united in matrimony is not the only one to be legitimized by society. This study aimed to investigate how the Carioca children graphically represent families, based on the theory of behavior analysis. A total of 108 carioca children (52.8% boys and 47,2% girls), aged between five and 12 years (M = 8.58, DP = 1.54) and their respective parents (M = 36.9 males; DP = 7.31). The children were asked to design individually a family and describe it. Respondents were asked to complete a sociodemographic questionnaire. The contents of the drawings and data of the sociodemographic questionnaire were tabulated and analyzed using the statistical software IBM SPSS version 22. Most of the children represented traditional families in their designs. However, the conceptions of family seemed more associated to the affective dimension than to the spaces of coexistence and dwelling. This study proposed new empirical and theoretical perspectives to evaluate the family drawing and suggests the need to better understand how the various family arrangements are apprehended by the children.(AU)

Los arreglos familiares están en proceso de diversificación, de modo que el modelo formado por hombre y mujer unidos en matrimonio no es el único a ser legitimado por la sociedad. Este estudio busca investigar de qué forma los niños cariocas representan gráficamente a las familias, tomando por base la teoría del análisis del comportamiento. Participaron del estudio 108 niños cariocas (52,8% ninos y 47,2% niñas), con edades entre cinco y 12 años (M = 8,58, DP = 1,54) y sus respectivos responsables (M edad = 36,9, DP = 7,31). Se solicitó a los niños que dibujaran individualmente una familia y la describieran, y se pidió a los responsables el llenado de un cuestionario sociodemográfico. Los contenidos de los dibujos y los datos del cuestionario sociodemográfico fueron tabulados y analizados a través del software estadístico IBM SPSS versión 22. La mayoría de los niños representó familias tradicionales en sus dibujos. Sin embargo, las concepciones de familia parecían más asociadas a la dimensión afectiva que a los espacios de convivencia y vivienda. Este estudio propone nuevas perspectivas empíricas y teóricas para evaluar el diseño de la familia y sugiere la necesidad de comprender mejor cómo los diversas padrones familiares son asimilados por los niños.(AU)

Understanding of children Through Dravings

The world-wide universal language of children is drawing. This non-verbal language gives us an insight into how children see, feel, and think about the world around them. For children younger than age 11, drawing is a very effective window through which they can express and reflect their wishes, emotions, thoughts and concerns. Drawing is useful for all children, including those too young to have yet developed language skills. This tool is equally effective when working with children who have been diagnosed with communication disorders. This paper reviews the historical background of the development of the drawing test as a diagnostic tool. In addition, the characteristics of drawings are reviewed according to the stage of child development. Even though a projective drawing gives us lots of hypothetical information regarding a child's internal psychological and emotional state, it is not a formal psychological test in a strict sense. Therefore, it is inaccurate to reach a conclusion about children's psychological problems based only on clues from a drawing. Moreover, it is important to get additional information through means such as post-drawing inquiry and interviews with family members.