An experimental study of pictures produced by acute schizophrenic subjects

The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of assessing pictures produced by acute schizophrenic subjects as a technique in differential diagnosis. It was hypothesized that art productions by schizophrenics differ from those both by other acute psychiatric patients and by 'normals'. Coloured slides were made from pictures produced in standardized conditions by three samples of each of thirty subjects. It was found that repetition of abstract forms was the only factor studied to be associated specifically with schizophrenia; whereas the presence of pictorial imbalance, overelaboration, childlike features, uncovered space, detail and colour variety were found to be associated with psychiatric admission irregardless of diagnosis. Doubt is cast on the use of art as a technique in differential psychiatric diagnosis.