The Exner Comprehensive System is a psychological evaluation tool that is used to analyze and interpret the results of projective drawings, such as Karen Machover's Human Figure Test or Corman's Family Test. Developed by John E. Exner in 1974, this system provides a structured and standardized framework for assessing an individual's personality, emotional conflicts, and defense mechanisms through their drawings.
Components of Exner's Comprehensive System
Exner's Comprehensive System consists of several components that allow clinical psychologists to obtain a deeper and more detailed understanding of an individual's personality based on to his projective drawings. The main components of this system are described below:
1. Location
Location refers to the position of the drawing on the page. The system identifies four possible positions: up (U), down (D), left (L) and right (R). The location of the drawings can provide clues about the individual's relationship with their environment, their energy level or their need for control, among other aspects.
2. Determinants
Determinants are specific details within the drawing that can provide additional information about the individual's personality. These details include size, shape, pressure, and other aspects related to the strokes and characteristics of the drawing. Determinants can reveal feelings, emotional conflicts or personality traits that the subject does not express verbally.
3. Content
Content refers to the elements that the individual decides to include in his or her drawing. For example, in the Family Test, the represented family members and their relative relationship in the drawing can provide significant information about the subject's family dynamics and interpersonal relationships. Analysis of the content of the drawings can reveal thought patterns, underlying emotions, and unresolved conflicts.
4. Popularity
Popularity refers to the frequency with which a certain element appears in an individual's drawings. Some objects, figures or situations may recur in a person's drawings, which may indicate important themes in their life, concerns or desires. The popularity of certain elements can reveal behavioral patterns, recurring themes or unresolved conflicts in the subject's life.
5. Human Movement
Human movement refers to the representation of people in motion in projective drawings. The presence or absence of movement in drawn human figures can provide information about the vitality, energy, activity or passivity of the person being evaluated. The analysis of human movement can reveal aspects of the subject's motivation, adaptation or anxiety.
6. Special Popularity
Special popularity refers to the frequency with which a specific element is selected from a given list in a projective drawing. Some items may have special or symbolic meaning for the individual, which may reveal important aspects of their personality, past experiences, or current concerns. Special popularity analysis can provide detailed and relevant information about the internal psychology of the subject.
Applications of Exner's Comprehensive System
Exner's Comprehensive System has been used in a variety of clinical and research contexts to analyze and understand the psychology of individuals through their drawings. Some of the most common applications of this system include:
1. Psychological evaluation
The Exner Comprehensive System is used in psychological evaluation to obtain detailed information about the personality, emotional conflicts and defense mechanisms of an individual through their projective drawings. This tool provides mental health professionals with a structured and standardized way to analyze patients' drawings and obtain meaningful insights into their internal psychology.
2. Clinical diagnosis
In the clinical setting, Exner's Comprehensive System is used as a complementary tool in the diagnosis of mental and emotional disorders. Detailed analysis of projective drawings can help psychologists identify behavioral patterns, underlying conflicts and areas of vulnerability in patients, which can influence the diagnostic process and the design of an appropriate treatment plan.
3. Psychological Research
The Exner Comprehensive System has also been used in psychological research to explore topics related to personality, psychopathology, family dynamics, and other aspects of human psychology. Studies using this system can provide valuable information about mental processes, enrich the understanding of human behavior and contribute to the development of new therapeutic approaches.
4. Therapeutic intervention
In the context of psychological therapy, Exner's Comprehensive System can be a useful tool to explore and address emotional conflicts, interpersonal dynamics and cognitive processes of patients through their expression. artistic. Clinical psychologists can use projective drawings as a way to encourage self-expression, facilitate emotional communication, and work on psychological problem-solving.
Conclusion
In summary, the Comprehensive System by Exner is a valuable and versatile tool in the field of psychological evaluation that allows you to analyze and understand the psychology of individuals through their projective drawings. With its various components, this system provides mental health professionals with a structured and standardized framework to interpret the results of projective tests and obtain meaningful insights into patients' personality, emotional conflicts and defense mechanisms. Whether in the clinical, research or therapeutic context, Exner's Comprehensive System remains an invaluable tool for understanding the complexity of the human mind through artistic expression.