The psychopathology of everyday art: a quantitative Study - World ...

personally expressive images than 'integration' (44). Poor content, a totalised score of 11
separate variables, was a significant predictor of Alzheimer's disease against normal
controls (36), within which, paucity of content was one of two variables which always
occurred and bizarre content was identified as a frequent and significant indicator (36).
The suggestion from study 46, which noted qualitatively that schizophrenics used more
personal and self-centred content than other patients, was not picked up generally in this
table although study 38 also noted, but did not pick up more originality from
schizophrenics than normal controls. There are indications that depressed patients use
less problem solving strategies (21) than other patients. Some support is given from the
finding that depressed patients, produced more hopelessness (75), and also differed from
normal controls in their disinterest in self and family (75).
Summary: Subjective judgement of global content is reliable, but not when referenced
to the image. This indicates that what is interpreted has little relation to the picture,
except in the differentiation of Alzheimer's disease, where pictures were poorer in content
and more bizarre than normal controls. This could, however, reflect the physiological
signs, such as control of the media, rather than intentional imagery, as indicated by the
lack of specificity in 'bizarreness', such as confusion or hybrid imagery. There are
indications of differences within patient groups for personal content, but the evidence is
weak because of small numbers and in the vague definition of 'expression' (44). Large
differences were reported between depressed patients, normal and patient controls by 3
studies on what seems reflective of situational despair or disinterest.
128