Abstract

This paper is an exploration of an assessment technique in which drawings of personal objects and gift objects associated with significant others are solicited from four latency-aged children. My proposal is that drawings of objects belonging to mothers, fathers and other family members as well as gift objects that have been received, have the potential to elicit information regarding the nature of the children's relationships with these people, their responses to absent parents, the presence of material or emotional deprivation, the presence or absence of supportive individuals and the children's individual defenses, strengths and needs. As a theoretical framework for this pilot study, attachment theory, notions regarding "goodness of fit" and developmental and artistic norms are considered. As well, anthropological, sociological and philosophical perspectives are discussed as they apply to people's relationships with objects. Areas for future research are presented