Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 27, 2025

Group Synchronization During Collaborative Drawing Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
Published on: August 5, 2022
Characteristics of House-Tree-Person Drawing Test in Junior High School Students with Depressive Symptoms
Qianting Guo1, Guilin Yu1, Jun Wang1
1Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Occupational Hazard Identification and Control, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Objective:
This study aims to explore the drawing characteristics of the house-tree-person drawing test (HTP) in junior high school students with depressive symptoms.
Methods:
A total of 167 junior high school students were recruited and completed HTP and questionnaires. 12 drawing characteristics of HTP were extracted and compared to explore the potential drawing characteristics of depressive symptoms.
Results:
Among 12 drawing characteristics, eight drawing characteristics appeared more frequently in the depressed group (CES-D ≥ 20) than in the non-depressed group (CES-D < 20), while one drawing characteristic appeared with a lower frequency. Further, controlling for the risk perception of COVID-19, seven drawing characteristics, not suggestive of movement, lacking details, blackening the paper, drawing in an only dark color, drawing a detailed crown, hands behind the back, and omitting expression, emerged as predictors of depressive symptoms (CES-D ≥ 20) in junior high school students.
Conclusion:
Seven drawing characteristics of HTP are significantly associated with depressive symptoms in junior high school students. HTP is insightful for early screening for junior high school students with depressive symptoms.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Depressive Disorders: MDD and Dysthymia
Depressive Disorders: Etiology
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
Long-term Depression
Calcium Ion Concentration Mechanism
If over...
Self-Report Tests of Personality
Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...
Depression: Overview

