ABSTRACT
The Art Therapy-Projective Imagery Assessment (AT-PIA) is a clinical interview consisting of six drawings, to be administered by art therapists in mental health venues to children, adolescents, and adults to identify developmental level, problem areas, strengths, defenses, diagnoses, and potential for engaging productively in a therapeutic relationship. The AT-PIA was developed by art therapists at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia, beginning when the school was established in 1973. Through the ensuing years, the series of drawings was adjusted and the administration, art materials, and report format were standardized into its current form (Raymond et al., 2010). The AT-PIA was developed to provide a systematic method of art therapy assessment that is compatible with psychological tests and psychiatric evaluations. It is to be administered and interpreted by art therapists or art therapy students (under supervision) who are trained to assess mental status, personality dynamics, and diagnostic indicators expressed through artwork, verbal associations, and behavior. Interpretations are made both impressionistically (Lally, 2001; Scribner & Handler, 1987) and through matching and research-based methods (Gantt, 2001, 2004; Groth-Marnat, 1999). The AT-PIA, a direct-observation projective assessment, is based on standard clinical use of administrators’ observations, interview procedures, and projective drawing tasks embellished through a wide variety of drawing materials.
