Disturbing Drawings
My 4-year-old draws pictures of people with no faces or heads. Should I be concerned?
Dear Dr. Bill:
My 4-year-old daughter draws pictures of
people with no
faces or heads. I am concerned especially
when she depicts herself. What can
this mean? I am a single mother who
provides her with a stable home. She has
a 6-and-a-half-year-old sister. Thank you.
— Vickie
Dear Vickie:
As a psychologist, I would never diagnose a child's problems simply by looking at their drawings. I would need to gather more information about your daughter's behavior, her personality, her background, and your family.
It's also difficult to draw conclusions from the drawings of a child who is only 4 years old. Some possible explanations for the lack of heads in her drawings include her immaturity, some kind of perceptual problem, or an emotional or psychological issue.
Theorists in the field of projective drawing believe that omitting a head can mean a person is attempting to eliminate unpleasant thoughts, but whether that would apply to a 4-year old is unknown.
I would suggest you take your daughter to a child psychologist or child psychiatrist for complete assessment. If your city has a children's hospital, they should be able to refer you to a specialist. If you live in a rural area, this may mean traveling to a larger city in your state.
Copyright © 2007, Focus on the Family.
All rights reserved. International copyright secured.