The Human Figure Drawing as Related to Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Abstract

To assess the reliability and validity of the human figure drawing test among children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and/or learning disability, boys (n = 136) between the ages of 8 and 10 years, with either or both ADHD and learning disability, were included. Two drawings were used: person and house, tree and person. The drawings were analyzed using the Koppitz emotional and developmental scales. Conners teacher and parent rating scales and the Matching Familiar Figure Test were administered. High intertest reliability for the emotional scale and a significant negative correlation between the 2 scales were found. The reported anxiety and learning were significantly correlated with the cognitive score. A combination of cognitive and emotional items resulted in 67% correct classification of ADHD and learning disability. This test can be used as part of the assessment of ADHD/learning disability.

Comorbidity of LD and ADHD

“…Two international studies also employed a cutoff method. A cutoff of 1.5 standard deviations below the mean led to a 54% comorbidity rate in Israeli children (Perets-Dubrovsky, Kaveh, Deutsh-Castel, Cohen, & Tirosh, 2010). Miranda et al (2008) used a cutoff of two standard deviations below the mean for reading and 25th percentile for math and found a 50% comorbidity rate among students from Spain.…”

“…A large-scale study relying on parental report found that 44% of students with LD also have a diagnosis of ADHD (Smith & Adams, 2006). In a small sample of Israeli children, 67% of those with LD also met criteria for ADHD (Perets-Dubrovsky et al, 2010). Among children with NVLD, 83% meet criteria for ADHD (Semrud-Clikeman et al, 2010).…”

Pediatric Restless Legs Syndrome

“…This is consistent with the medical literature, in which children's drawings have been reported as a facilitator of communication and a way to increase the amount of information provided. [41][42][43] Drawings have been described as an inexpensive adjunct to clinical diagnosis in a broad range of pediatric disorders, 44 including migraine headaches, 45 epilepsy, 46 asthma, 47 sickle cell disease, 48 attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, 49 and neuromuscular diseases. 50 For example, in pediatric headache diagnosis drawings have high sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value when compared with clinical diagnosis and are useful in differential diagnosis based on the inclusion of specific content such as ''sharp'' or ''compression'' elements.…”

Fine Motor Skills and Unsystematic Spatial Binding in the Common Region Test: Under-Inclusivity in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Over-Inclusivity in Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

“…There was no difference between children with ADHD and typically developing children when drawing familiar figural objects such as figures and houses (Booth et al, 2003), and their drawing abilities were better than those of children with learning disabilities (Perets-Dubrovsky, Kaveh, Deutsh-Castel, Cohen, & Tirosh, 2010). These results make sense as children with ADHD do not have low scores on g but on executive functions (Schuck & Crinella, 2005).…”