Measuring Depression with the Hernandez Art Depression Assessment for Children: A Pilot Study Introducing a New Inventory to Measure Depression in Children with the Inclusion of Art Therapy
Graduation Date
Spring 2006
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Document Form
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy
Degree Granting Institution
Notre Dame de Namur University
Program Name
Art Therapy
Dean
Lizbeth Martin, PhD
First Reader
Richard Carolan, EdD, ATR-BC
Second Reader
Gwen Sanders, MFT, ART-BC
Abstract
This was a pilot study introducing a new art therapy assessment called the Hernandez Art Depression Assessment for Children (HADA). The hypothesis was that HADA will screen children with depression with the use of art. HADA was compared with the Children Depression Inventory to support the validity of the study. Twenty six elementary school students, ages 6 to 10 years old participated in this study. Ten students scored moderate to severe depression in the CDI, and 5 to 9 depressive indicators in HADA. The findings suggested that HADA and the CDI correlate. The results showed that people scoring depression in the CDI, showed depressive indicators in their drawings for HADA. More trials and revision may occur since this is a pilot study for HADA. Several implications were drawn for future research.