Thursday, July 30, 2020

What Is the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

What Is the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) Psychotherapy Print Why the Thematic Apperception Test Is Used in Therapy By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Updated on October 11, 2019 Baris Simsek / Getty Images More in Psychotherapy Online Therapy The Thematic Apperception Test is a type of  projective test that involves describing ambiguous scenes. It was developed by psychologist  Henry A. Murray and artist and lay psychoanalyst Christina D. Morgan during the 1930s.?? The test is one of the most widely researched and utilized psychological tests in use today. How Does the Thematic Apperception Test  Work? The Thematic Apperception Test, also known as TAT, involves showing respondents ambiguous pictures of people and asking them to come up with an explanation for what is happening in the scene. The purpose of the test is to learn more about the respondents thoughts, concerns, and motives based on the stories they create to explain the vague and often provocative scenes depicted in the pictures. Subjects are asked to tell a story explaining what is happening in the picture including the events that led up to the scene, what is happening in the scene, what each of the characters is thinking or feeling, and what happens next. The complete version of the TAT includes 31 picture cards depicting a variety of ambiguous social scenes that may include men, women, and/or children. Murray originally recommended using approximately 20 cards and selecting those that depicted characters similar to the subject. Many practitioners today utilize between 5 and 12 cards, often selected because the examiner feels that the scene matches the clients needs and situation.?? Practitioners use their best judgment when selecting scenes in order to determine which might be most likely to elicit useful information from the respondent. How Is the Thematic Apperception Test Used? The Thematic Apperception Test can be utilized by therapists in a number of different ways. Some of these include:?? Therapists may use the test to learn more about a client. In this way, the test acts as something of an icebreaker while providing useful information about potential emotional conflicts the client may have.Helping clients express how they are feeling. The TAT is often used as a therapeutic tool to allow clients to express feelings in a non-direct way. A client may not yet be able to express a certain feeling directly, but they might be able to identify the emotion when viewed from an outside perspective.Exploring themes and issues that relate to the clients life and experiences. Clients dealing with problems such as job loss, divorce, or health issues might interpret the ambiguous scenes and relating to their unique circumstances, allowing deeper exploration over the course of therapy.Assessing clients for some psychological conditions. The test is sometimes used as a tool to assess personality or thought disorders.      The TAT has also been put to use as a forensic tool. Clinicians may administer the test to criminals to assess the risk of recidivism or to determine if a person matches the profile of a crime suspect.The test has also been used as a career assessment tool. The is sometimes used to determine if people are suited to particular roles, especially positions that require coping with stress and evaluating vague situations such as military leadership and law enforcement positions. How Projective Tests Are Used to Measure Personality Criticisms of the Thematic Apperception Test The Thematic Apperception Test lacks a standardized and widely used scoring system, so it is difficult to obtain estimates of reliability and validity.?? Different examiners and clinicians often vary in terms of administration and procedures, so comparing results is difficult. Few practitioners use Murrays complex and difficult scoring system and instead rely on their subjective interpretation and clinical opinion to reach conclusions about the subjects. The Problem With Personality Testing

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