Perceptions of emotionally disturbed male adolescents on the Thematic Apperception Test.

20 boys aged 13 to 16 yr. and in classrooms for educationally handicapped students were studied by the TAT for adaptive functioning. Scored for pAggression, pDominance, nAggression, nAchievement, and nAutonomy, responses indicated that interactions between these disturbed adolescents and their environment were most likely to involve aggression and dominance and least apt to deal with achievement. Although IQs for all boys were average or above (M: 106), typical responses to the pictures were descriptive rather than development of a complete story. Difficulty in the expression of prediction and interpretation of personal experience was indicated.