Three techniques, three different questions
| Technique | What the child is asked | What is examined | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAP (Draw-A-Person) | Draw a person | Number of details, proportion, developmental level | Used to estimate cognitive maturity; weak as a personality measure |
| HTP (House-Tree-Person) | Draw a house, a tree and a person | How the three are handled and what the child says about them | Interpretation depends heavily on the practitioner; poorly standardised |
| KFD (Kinetic Family Drawing) | Draw everyone in your family doing something | Who is drawn, distances, activities, who is missing | Does not measure family relationships; it opens a conversation |
What they share: they're conversation openers
All three gain most of their value alongside what the child says. The drawing is one data point; the real information comes from the child's answer to "what's happening here?" That's why in a professional's room a drawing is a talking tool, not a measuring instrument.
Common questions
Can I use these tests at home with my child?
They aren't tests to administer. They're used in clinical settings, by trained professionals, always alongside other information. The most useful thing you can do at home is keep the drawings your child makes of their own accord and ask non-judging questions about them.
Are drawing tests reliable?
Used alone for diagnosis, their reliability is limited. Used as conversation openers and as a supplement to observation, they have a place in clinical practice.
Does Kidzo administer one of these tests?
No. Kidzo administers no test and makes no diagnosis. It reads the drawings your child made of their own accord alongside the notes you wrote, shows the patterns it sees and suggests concrete things to try.