UTILIZATION OF A TECHNOLOGY-BASED MACHOVER DRAW-A-PERSON TEST TO EXAMINE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF ADOLESCENTS’ SOCIAL SUPPORT
Keywords:
Draw-a-person test, social support, adolescents, mental health, digital technologyAbstract
The Draw-A-Person Test (DAP) is a projective psychological assessment tool used to understand personality dynamics, emotional conditions, and individuals’ perceptions of themselves and others through the symbolism of human figure drawings. This study is motivated by the importance of understanding social support and emotional regulation among adolescents in the digital era, in which psychological pressure, social demands, and patterns of interaction are becoming increasingly complex. The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which the Machover version of the Draw-A-Person Test (DAP) can be used to assess the level of social support among children and adolescents. The method employed is a literature study by analyzing three main scientific articles that discuss the application of DAP in classical symbolic contexts, modern approaches based on digital technology, and the construct of adolescent social support. The articles analyzed include studies by Santillo et al. (2025), Nurasiah et al. (2025), and a meta-analysis by Hidayati (2023). The findings indicate that DAP is able to illustrate interpersonal aspects, emotional stability, and the quality of individuals’ social relationships through visual symbols in human figure drawings. In addition, the integration of technologies such as deep learning and digital image analysis has been shown to enhance the objectivity, efficiency, and reliability of test result interpretation.In conclusion, the Draw-A-Person Test (DAP) remains relevant as a projective assessment tool for depicting adolescents’ psychological well-being and has the potential to be developed into a fast and accurate digital screening model oriented toward improving the quality of social support and mental health in the future.
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