Differentiation of Assaultive Delinquents with the Hand Test

The AOS score on the Hand Test significantly differentiated assaultive from non-assaultive delinquents, correctly categorizing 78 percent of the subjects.     

Differentiation of Aggressive Behavior of Institutionalized Schizophrenics with the Hand Test

Changes and trends in personality assessment documented through examination of the first issues of the Journal of Personality Assessment (JPA) for the years 1937 to 1997 revealed the following: (a) compared to the Journal of Personality and PsychologicalReview, JPA published more women first authors and coauthors in every issue except in 1987; (b) of the total 8,524 individuals whose assessment protocols comprised data sets in the 7 issues, l,6 15 (19%) were patients and 4,839 (57%) were undergraduate college students; (c) combining patients and nonpatients, the average age of children under 13 was 12.24 years, the average age of high school students was 15.28 years, and the average age of adults was 24.20 years; (d) only 6% of the participants were identified as African American, Mexican American, Asian Americans, or other; and (e) in the 74 articles examined, 98 different tests, techniques, or tasks to assess personality were discussed. We suggest that future research should include a more diverse group of participants that includes more older people and more people of color.     

Test-retest reliability of the Hand Test with normal subjects

The Hand Test (Wagner, 1962) was administered to 71 subjects; 14 days later these subjects were again administered the Hand Test. Results indicated the Hand Test is a highly reliable measure of an individual's behavioral action tendencies.     

Prediction of Recidivism among Juvenile Delinquents with the Hand Test

In a preliminary investigation of the predictive validity of the Hand Test, the AOS significantly differentiated delinquent recidivists from non-recidivists, correctly categorizing 66 per cent of the Ss. The AGG score also significantly differentiated the two groups.     

Construct validation of the Hand Test with the aged: replication and extension

The Hand Test (HT) was administered to 52 institutionalized elderly adults in an effort to cross-validate previous research dealing with the construct validity of the Hand Test in assessing organic dysfunction as assessed by Mental Status Questionnaire (MSQ) scores. Results suggested that, consistent with previous research, HT scores of Withdrawal and Pathology seem to be valid indicators of cognitive loss, independent of age and length of institutionalization, among elderly persons who reside in long term care facilities. Implications of these data for the care of impaired elderly persons by family and staff are discussed and suggestions for future research are offered.     

A Normative and Comparative Study of the Hand Test with Normal and Delinquent Children

Normative data obtained on the Hand Test from 114 secondary school boys, 52 institutionalized male delinquents, and 26 institutionalized female delinquents, were compared. Significant differences were in the expected direction for certain scores. Comparison with the “equivalent” American samples given by Wagner shows marked differences. Looseness of definition of certain scoring categories affected interscorer reliability.     

Hand Test Indicators of Antisocial Behavior

The Hand Test Acting Out Score (AOS) and to a limited degree other scores were studied in relationship to offense type of 614 military prisoners, their subsequent disciplinary problems in adjusting to confinement, and an Army measure of mental ability. Significant differences were observed between the mean AOSs of Ss who had committed offenses against people and against property and between Ss who subsequently were model prisoners and disciplinary offenders. The mental ability measure was minimally related to Hand Test response categories. Considerable overlap was observed in AOS distributions of the varying antisocial groups and the AOS was felt to be of questionable value in predicting individual antisocial behavior in confinement.     

Information Load: A Test of an Inverted-U Hypothesis with Hourly and Salaried Employees

We surveyed 714 hourly and 516 salaried employees of a midwestern telephone company to test the effects of information load on work-related outcomes. Using curvilinear regression analyses, we found support for our hypothesis that employees are less satisfied with outcomes as the load of information deviates positively or negatively from some level. We also predicted, and found, that this quadratic function was more prevalent in the hourly group than in the salaried group. Implications, future research directions, and limitations of the present study are discussed.     

Use of the Hand Test in the Assessment of Combat-Related Stress

This study investigated the effectiveness of the Hand Test in discriminating the differential symptomatology of posttraumatic stress (PTS) in Vietnam combat veterans (VCVs). Participants were 108 VCV outpatients, 85 of whom met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed. [DSM-IV]; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and 23 patients that were found to meet some, but not the minimum criteria, required for a diagnosis of PTSD by the DSM-IV. The latter group of patients was classified into a subclinical PTSD, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) group. Results showed higher levels of overall psychopathology, a vulnerable capacity for coping, and a tendency for feelings of inadequacy and inferiority in the PTSD group. The PTSD group also exhibited more limited interaction with the world around them than the PTSS group, which may be indicative of withdrawal, apathy, or a lack of concern with environmental activities and goals. These findings are discussed in relation to the assessment, understanding, and treatment of PTS symptomatology and PTSD.     

Response pattern analysis of the Hand Test: age differences

Extended the literature on age differences on the Hand Test using a multivariate model to examine absolute and relative differences in response. Participants were 47 adults (M age = 22.47 yrs.), 24 males and 23 females; and 45 older adults (M age = 64.87 yrs.), 21 males and 24 females. Data were analyzed in terms of percentage of response and absolute frequency of specific responses, between the age groups. Results indicated similar findings to those previously reported for the Hand Test, though magnitude of personality deterioration or withdrawal was lessened, for the percentage analysis. Results indicated the importance of using both absolute frequency of response and percentage of response in the interpretation of projective test data, especially for older adults.     

Hand Test characteristics of severely behavior handicapped children

The Hand Test was administered to 98 severely behavior handicapped (SBH) children and a matched control group of public school children. The withdrawal score and associated variables, indicative of severe psychopathology, differentiated the two groups. In addition, a qualitative analysis of the SBH protocols tentatively suggested a preponderance of four behavioral types that could be described as the underproductive, perseverative, psychotic and impulsive child. Implications of these findings are discussed.     

Hand Test Characteristics of Severely Behavior Handicapped Children

The Hand Test was administered to 98 severely behavior handicapped (SBH) children and a matched control group of public school children. The withdrawal score and associated variables, indicative of severe psychopathology, differentiated the two groups. In addition, a qualitative analysis of the SBH protocols tentatively suggested a preponderance of four behavioral types that could be described as the underproductive, perseverative, psychotic and impulsive child. Implications of these findings are discussed.     

Personality Characteristics of Eating-Disordered Outpatients as Measured by the Hand Test

The Hand Test was administered to 34 eating-disordered and 26 noneating-disordered college-age women to determine discriminating projective personality features. Eating-disordered women scored higher on response time, overall pathology, and passivity. Anorexics present more tension, aggression, and acting out potential whereas bulimics demonstrate significantly more passive responses. The more severely affected women scored higher on crippled, passive, and withdrawal variables. Similarities as well as differences between the groups may have important implications for the diagnosis of subgroups of eating-disordered women and for treatment planning.     

Personality characteristics of eating-disordered outpatients as measured by the Hand Test

The Hand Test was administered to 34 eating-disordered and 26 noneating-disordered college-age women to determine discriminating projective personality features. Eating-disordered women scored higher on response time, overall pathology, and passivity. Anorexics present more tension, aggression, and acting out potential whereas bulimics demonstrate significantly more passive responses. The more severely affected women scored higher on crippled, passive, and withdrawal variables. Similarities as well as differences between the groups may have important implications for the diagnosis of subgroups of eating-disordered women and for treatment planning.     

Relationships between Hand Test variables and maladjustment in school children

Twenty-two Hand Test variables significantly differentiated a group of children referred to school psychologists for social and emotional maladjustment from a control group matched on age and sex. Eleven variables emerged from a subsequent stepwise discriminant analysis, resulting in a 80.85% hit rate. Results are interpreted as providing statistical support for the use of the Hand Test as a screening and/or ancillary projective technique in assessing school children.     

Relations between Hand Test variables and the psychological characteristics and behaviors of battered women

Battered and nonbattered women were administered the Hand Test to determine which psychological test variables could distinguish between these groups. Compared to the nonbattered group, the battered group produced substantially more fear responses. We also found significant positive relationships between the amount of fear responses produced and frequency of abuse, number of previous visits to a battered women's shelter, and medical treatment sought following an abusive incident. We discuss these results in the context of previous findings and their implications for the personality of battered women. We speculate that lowered environmental interest might be a personality factor that prolonged the abuse and that fear is a basic reaction to anticipated bodily harm.     

Relationships Between Hand Test Variables and Maladjustment in School Children

Twenty-two Hand Test variables significantly differentiated a group of children referred to school psychologists for social and emotional maladjustment from a control group matched on age and sex. Eleven variables emerged from a subsequent stepwise discriminant analysis, resulting in a 80.85% hit rate. Results are interpreted as providing statistical support for the use of the Hand Test as a screening and/or ancillary projective technique in assessing school children.     

Differences in Hand Test responses of healthy females across the life-span.

The Hand Test was administered to 175 females ranging from 17 to 72 years. Subjects were all "community-living," within normal range of hearing and vision, in good health, and had a modal education level of high school graduate. Results were consistent with previous findings using projective techniques with the elderly, in that a depletion and constriction of personality appears to be concomitant with the normal aging process.     

The Hand Test and Other Aggression Indicators in Emotionally Disturbed Children

The Hand Test is a projective technique yielding an Acting Out Score (AOS) which the test authors feel is useful as a predictor of aggressive, acting-out behavior. This study produced data regarding the stability of AOS, the relation of AOS to another projective device used to assess aggressive potential and the ability of AOS to predict teacher ratings of acting-out behavior among emotionally disturbed pre-adolescents. Results indicate that for this sample of Ss the AOS lacks stability as a measurement construct, does not correlate with another projective measure of aggressive potential and is not a useful predictor of acting-out behavior as rated by teachers of emotionally disturbed pre-adolescents.