Year: 1968 Source: Journal of Projective Techniques, v.32, (1968), p.392-394 SIEC No: 19840964

3 clinicians experienced in the use of the Bender-Gestalt independently rated the presence-absence of 10 signs relating to depression, hostility, dependency, emotional constriction, & rigidity in the protocols of 34 hospitalized mental patients, half of whom had made an unsuccessful suicide attempt. The value of the signs approach & the theory from which the predictions were derived seem to be questionable. A counter-argument based on the notion of crisis is presented. (10 ref).