Date of Award

Spring 5-2006

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

EVMS School of Health Professions

Program/Concentration

Art Therapy

Abstract

Previous research concerning the artistic indicators of learning disabilities has yielded inconsistent results. Children with learning disabilities comprise a heterogeneous population, with diverse strengths and challenges. There has been a lack of research on the graphic indicators of learning disabilities, which takes this diversity into account. This study aimed at exploring the characteristics of Human Figure Drawings (HFDs) created by students with learning disabilities.

The study examined the HFDs of 2 Virginia Beach Public School 2nd graders who were identified by their parents as having learning disabilities; one child’s disability was described as being a decoding deficit and the other child’s, a math deficit. The drawings were rated using the modified FEATS and compared to a sample of second graders without learning disabilities.

Although no generalizable findings were made due to the small sample size and the lack of reliable information concerning the students’ learning disabilities, several observations were made by the investigator. The HFDs drawn by the participants were smaller and less detailed than the database drawings. Additionally, the colors in the participants’ drawing were rated as being used less realistically than in the database drawings. In comparing the participants’ drawings to one another, the most striking difference was in color prominence, in which the student with the decoding deficit used significantly more color than her counterpart. The limitations to this research design were discussed, and suggestions for improvement were made.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

DOI

10.25777/k027-4h12

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