An experiment with drawing in relation to the prediction of school success

Abstract

A drawing test involving the representation of a ball, envelope, dog, house, girl, apple, flag, bird, church, and boy was developed for primary children. Data based on 1000 children reveal average correlations of .48, .55 and .30 of the drawing test score, respectively, with the Gates reading test, the flash card word test and the teacher's estimate of school achievement. Sex and race differences, imitation, differences in perception, and intellectual types were also considered. The results confirm previous findings in showing a "flattening out" of the curve of drawing test scores after the mental age of nine. No evidence was found in support of a "compensatory mechanism" for deaf children in drawing. Deaf subjects were retarded about one year in drawing test score. An appendix is included with photographic illustrations and directions used in scoring the test. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)