The Scientific Status of Projective Techniques

Although projective techniques continue to be widely used in clinical and forensic settings, their scientific status remains highly controversial. In this monograph, we review the current state of the literature concerning the psychometric properties (norms, reliability, validity, incremental validity, treatment utility) of three major projective instruments: Rorschach Inkblot Test, Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), and human figure drawings. We conclude that there is empirical support for the validity of a small number of indexes derived from the Rorschach and TAT. However, the substantial majority of Rorschach and TAT indexes are not empirically supported. The validity evidence for human figure drawings is even more limited. With a few exceptions, projective indexes have not consistently demonstrated incremental validity above and beyond other psychometric data. In addition, we summarize the results of a new meta-analysis intended to examine the capacity of these three instruments to detect child sexual abuse. Although some projective instruments were better than chance at detecting child sexual abuse, there were virtually no replicated findings across independent investigative teams. This meta-analysis also provides the first clear evidence of substantial file drawer effects in the projectives literature, as the effect sizes from published studies markedly exceeded those from unpublished studies. We conclude with recommendations regarding the (a) construction of projective techniques with adequate validity, (b) forensic and clinical use of projective techniques, and (c) education and training of future psychologists regarding projective techniques.

The Centrality of the Response Process in Construct Validity: An Illustration via the Rorschach Space Response

Recently, psychologists have emphasized the response process-that is, the psychological operations and behaviors that lead to test scores-when designing psychological tests, interpreting their results, and refining their validity. To illustrate the centrality of the response process in construct validity and test interpretation, we provide a historical, conceptual, and empirical review of the main uses of the background white space of the Rorschach cards, called space reversal (SR) and space integration (SI) in the Rorschach Performance Assessment System. We show how SR and SI's unique response processes result in different interpretations, and that reviewing their literatures with these distinct interpretations in mind produces the expected patterns of convergent and discriminant validity. That is, SR was uniquely related to measures of oppositionality; SI was uniquely related to measures of cognitive complexity; and both SR and SI were related to measures of creativity. Our review further suggests that the Comprehensive System use of a single space code for all uses of white space likely led to its lack of meta-analytic support as a measure of oppositionality (Mihura, Meyer, Dumitrascu, & Bombel, 2013 ). We close by discussing the use of the response process to improve test interpretation, develop better measures, and advance the design of research.

Perceptual-Organizational Characteristics of the Rorschach Task

The present study was designed to begin to explore the perceptual and visuospatial organization required to respond to the Rorschach task. Previous research has shown a relative independence of Rorschach scores from other measures of neurocognitive functioning (e.g., Zillmer & Perry, 1996). However, many of the neuropsychological measures used in previous studies did not require the patient to organize a complex visuospatial stimulus in the same way that the Rorschach does. In this study, data from 27 children and adolescents administered the Rorschach and the Rey-Osterreith Complex Figure Test (ROCF) were examined. Results of analyses indicated that, accounting for age and Full Scale IQ, there were a number of significant relationships between accuracy of ROCF renditions and Rorschach measures of developmental quality and perceptual accuracy. Implications for the understanding the nature of the Rorschach response process and its utility in clinical neuropsychology are discussed.

A cognitive-perceptual analysis of projective tests used with children

There are both general and specific problems with projective tests--the production, comprehension, and interpretation of two-dimensional visual representations. At the general level, there is a need to integrate findings from the neuro- and cognitive sciences, cognitive, perceptual, and affective development, and the understanding and interpretation of pictorial material based on the accumulated research base in the arts. At the specific level, much of the research base on projective tests is poor or outdated; evidence for clinical utility is mixed or negative; and the tests possess poor reliability and validity while the putative underlying psychological process of projection" has not been subject to rigorous empirical examination--the term remains vague and elusive. While earlier critiques and reviews have focused on problems in validity and reliability, their has been a lack of attention to the development of children's pictorial abilities as pertain to projective techniques. Although many of the principles delineated here also apply to adolescents and adults, an important challenge for clinicians is to develop and employ better methods in the "projective" assessment of children.

Research assessment of the clinical utility of the Rorschach

A summary of prior research on the clinical use of the Rorschach Ink Blots is presented.