Expression of overadaptation in children through drawing a man as a projective measure: a community sample study.

Background: Overadaptation, the behavior of individuals who follow the expectations of others as perfectly as possible, is often observed and related to maladjustment, school refusal, and physical symptoms; however, no method has been proposed yet to assess the overadaptive tendency. This study evaluated the efficacy of the Goodenough Draw-a-Man (DAM) test as a projective measure of overadaptation in children.

Methods: Eighty children (36 boys, 44 girls), aged 6-8 years, were assessed for their ability to draw a man using the DAM test.