Recall of figure “A” of the bender-gestalt test among delinquents

Abstract

The Bender‐Gestalt test was administered to 182 Israeli adolescent males: four groups of juvenile delinquents and two of nondeliquent high‐school students. Each of the delinquent groups was administered one of the following versions: a standard administration with figure A first (n = 60), a change of sequence with figure A last (n = 22), a regular sequence with figure A changed to two adjacing circles (n = 20), and with figure A changed to two adjacent diamonds (n = 20). One nondelinquent group took the test under standard administration with figure A first (n = 30), and one took it with figure A last (n = 20). The results showed significantly low recall of the original figure A by delinquents when it appeared first. This phenomenon was related to both primary effect and the design depicted in figure A, with a greater influence of the latter. Difficulties in integration were suggested as inhibiting delinquents' recall.