Family drawings of Iranian children with autism and their family members

The purpose of this study was to investigate attachment of children with autism through their drawings. Also investigated were the feelings and attitudes of the mothers and siblings of children with autism toward them through their drawings. Kinetic Family Drawing test is a projective instrument that can show attitudes, interactions, and feelings of family members toward each other. Family drawings of 30 children with autism, and drawings of their mothers and siblings were analyzed and compared with those of 30 normal children and their family members using Phi-squares test. The results showed that children with autism performed significantly differently from normal children in only the omission aspect of family drawing test (P > 0.05). Mothers of autistic children were significantly different from mothers of normal children in terms of size, priority of drawing and space of the test (P < 0.05). Also siblings of autistic children performed significantly differently from siblings of normal group in terms of space and the omission aspect (P < 0.05).

► Attachment of autistic children and attitudes of their family members toward them.
► Using Kinetic Family Drawing test.
► Children with autism can show the same attachment as normal children.
► Siblings of autistic children show some problems with their family members.
► Mothers of autistic children perceived their normal child more important than autistic one.