A comparison of psychologic functioning in children and adolescents with severe burns on the Rorschach and the Child...

The incidence of psychologic problems in 12 children and adolescents with severe burns was examined through four similar scales on the Children's Behavior Checklist and the Rorschach. No correlations were found for any of the pairs, which were Withdrawn-Isolation Index, Somatic Complaints-Anatomy + X-ray, Anxious/Depressed-Depression Index, and Thought Disorder-Schizophrenic Index. Discrepancies were explained as both accurate reflections of patients' personalities and function of the type of assessment instrument used to determine psychologic problems. Although the statistical power of the study is limited by the small sample size, the results suggest the lack of good objective psychologic assessment tools available to this population and the need for experienced professionals to interpret test results in light of their personal knowledge of the patient.