Stories Children Tell: Should the Thematic Apperception Test be Included in Psychoeducational Assessments?

Author(s):  
Orly Calderon ◽  
Rachel Kupferberg
Author(s):  
Michelle B. Stein ◽  
Jenelle Slavin-Mulford ◽  
Caleb J. Siefert ◽  
Samuel Justin Sinclair ◽  
Michaela Smith ◽  
...  

Abstract. The Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale-Global Ratings Method (SCORS-G; Stein, Hilsenroth, Slavin-Mulford, & Pinsker-Aspen, 2011 ) is a reliable system for coding narrative data, such as Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) stories. This study employs a cross-sectional, correlational design to examine associations between SCORS-G dimensions and life events in two clinical samples. Samples were composed of 177 outpatients and 57 inpatients who completed TAT protocols as part of routine clinical care. Two experienced raters coded narratives with the SCORS-G. Data on the following clinically relevant life events were collected: history of psychiatric hospitalization, suicidality, self-harming behavior, drug/alcohol abuse, conduct-disordered behavior, trauma, and education level. As expected, the clinical life event variable associated with the largest number of SCORS-G dimensions was Suicidality. Identity and Coherence of Self was related to self-harm history across samples. Emotional Investment in Relationships and Complexity of Representations were also associated with several life events. Clinical applications, limitations of the study, and future directions are reviewed.


Author(s):  
Tereza Soukupova ◽  
Petr Goldmann

Abstract. The Thematic Apperception Test is one of the most frequently administered apperceptive techniques. Formal scoring systems are helpful in evaluating story responses. TAT stories, made by 20 males and 20 females in the situation of legal divorce proceedings, were coded for detection and comparison of their personal problem solving ability. The evaluating instrument utilized was the Personal Problem Solving System-Revised (PPSS-R) as developed by G. F. Ronan. The results indicate that in relation to card 1, men more often than women saw the cause of the problem as removable. With card 6GF, women were more motivated to resolve the given problem than were men, women had a higher personal control and their stories contained more optimism compared to men’s stories. In relation to card 6BM women, more often than men, used emotions generated from the problem to orient themselves within the problem. With card 13MF, the men’s level of stress was less compared to that of the women, and men were more able to plan within the context of problem-solving. Significant differences in the examined groups were found in those cards which depicted significant gender and parental potentials. The TAT can be used to help identify personality characteristics and gender differences.


Author(s):  
Leland van den Daele ◽  
Ashley Yates ◽  
Sharon Rae Jenkins

Abstract. This project compared the relative performance of professional dancers and nondancers on the Music Apperception Test (MAT; van den Daele, 2014 ), then compared dancers’ performance on the MAT with that on the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT; Murray, 1943 ). The MAT asks respondents to “tell a story to the music” in compositions written to represent basic emotions. Dancers had significantly shorter response latency and were more fluent in storytelling than a comparison group matched for gender and age. Criterion-based evaluation of dancers’ narratives found narrative emotion consistent with music written to portray the emotion, with the majority integrating movement, sensation, and imagery. Approximately half the dancers were significantly more fluent on the MAT than the TAT, while the other half were significantly more fluent on the TAT than the MAT. Dancers who were more fluent on the MAT had a higher proportion of narratives that integrated movement and imagery compared with those more fluent on the TAT. The results were interpreted as consistent with differences observed in neurological studies of auditory and visual processing, educational studies of modality preference, and the cognitive style literature. The MAT provides an assessment tool to complement visually based performance tests in personality appraisal.


2003 ◽  
Vol 22 (05) ◽  
pp. 267-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. König ◽  
K.-E. Bühler

ZusammenfassungIn der vorliegenden Untersuchung kamen zwei Persönlichkeitsfragebögen, das Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) und der Biografische Fragebogen für Alkoholabhängige (BIFA-AL). sowie ein Persönlichkeitstest, der Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), zur Anwendung. Insgesamt umfasste die klinische Studie 88 Versuchspersonen: 44 depressive Patienten und 44 in Bezug auf Alter, Geschlecht und Schulbildung parallelisierte gesunde Probanden. Die Ergebnisse des TAT zeigen, dass sich die Patienten in ihren Fantasiegeschichten von ihrer depressiven Einstellungen lösen. Die Bildtafeln scheinen die Patienten zu animieren, ihre passive und negative Einstellungen aufzugeben und in ihren Fantasiegeschichten aktiv und positiv eingestellt in das Geschehen einzugreifen. In ihren Fantasiegeschichten leben sie das aus, was sie im normalen depressiven Leben nicht verwirklichen können, und verhalten sich so, wie sie gerne in Wirklichkeit wären. In den beiden Persönlichkeitsfragebögen konnten deutliche Unterschiede (höherer Neurotizismus, niedrigere Extraversion) zwischen den beiden Stichproben festgestellt werden. In der Skala „Zielgerichtetheit” des BIFA-AL erzielten die Patienten deutlich niedrigere Werte als die gesunden Probanden. Die Patienten erreichten ferner ungünstigere Werte hinsichtlich der Primärsozialisation. Sie schildern ihre Primärsozialisation deutlich ungünstiger und belastender. Vorschläge hinsichtlich psychotherapeutischer Folgerungen aus diesen Befunden werden unterbreitet.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (01) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saranya Banerjee ◽  
Deepshikha Ray

Twin studies have mostly focused on the pattern of maladaptive behaviour manifested by the twins and their biological basis but the findings have remained controversial till date. The present case study explores the psychopathology in 14 year old twins of Indian origin. They were referred for psychometric assessment and psychotherapy for their conduct problems. The tools administered on them during psychometric assessment are Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children IV (WISC-IV), Rorschach Inkblot Test (RIBT) and Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). Findings are discussed in terms of the personality processes and relationship quality of the twins.


1988 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 459-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Moot ◽  
R. C. Teevan ◽  
N. Greenfeld

The present study was a partial replication of one by Atkinson in 1953 and an attempt to assess the effect of strength of fear-of-failure motivation on recall of interrupted and completed tasks. 81 freshman men enrolled in introductory psychology classes were administered the Thematic Apperception Test under typical “neutral” conditions. At a later date, the test for Zeigarnik effect was given and scores obtained. Correlational analyses suggested (1) a successful replication of the Atkinson study, (2) a strikingly similar relationship between nAch and the dependent variables and between fear of failure and these variables, and (3) the independence of nAch and fear-of-failure motives.


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