ASDs and the TAT (thematic apperception test)

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I am currently being evaluated by a neuropsychologist for asperger's and/or other syndromes/disorders. The doctor first gave me an IQ test and a personality test. I have yet to see the results of either. Yesterday, I was given the thematic apperception test. I normally find tests of any kind enjoyable and I rarely "hate" anything; however, I HATED the TAT.

I found the images dull and unstimulating and the task almost impossible. For the most plain portrait images, my story was literally "A model was hired by an artist and is now sitting to be painted." I don't think any of my stories were longer than four sentences except for the last one.
For the last one, the blank page, I made up a short story about a pair of pigeons dying by flying into the glass of a window because, before the doctor joined me in the room, I had discovered evidence that several pigeons did just that- there were feathers on the window and pigeon carcasses with smashed heads bellow the window.

After the test was completed, the doctor told me, based on the TAT and what else she had seen of me, that I have a very poor understanding of human emotions. So, thus far, I have learned nothing new.

I believe my main problems with the test was that most of the images were just people without tools to clue me in to what they might be doing and, obviously, there was no movement. I rely heavily on movement to understand what kind of emotion a person is expressing.

The IQ test and the over 200 question personality test left me energized and excited, whereas the TAT made me exhausted.


Now, I shall end my story and get on with the questions...

For people with ASDs: Have you been given the TAT? If so, how did you find it?
Was the TAT used in the diagnostic process or as a way to discover the best method of therapy for you?

throughout my whole visiting psychiatrists and stuff, all of what I had taken are the following.

IQ test (which I did extremely well on)

Some personality test (If i remember correctly, some of the comments made by the psychiatrist/psychologist revolved around how "chaotic" my results were, so he though maybe schizophrenia, but tests proved that wrong. Based on that, I think being an internet troll could possible be something i am very good at, but yet I am too lazy to do it.

Never took the TAT, being as the psychologist beleived that it really wouldnt shed any light on anything, being as he felt it wouldnt represent anything because of the fact that it isnt a 'living' medium, and that he would get a better understanding if I gave him observations of actual people in the environment around me, since he felt it would be far more accurate.

I had quite a few spatial awareness tests done. My results were interesting, since I scored about as high as possible on all of them, despite the fact that without glasses i am legally blind. (yes, all the pics on here are with me not wearing them, because I hate how I look with them on, yet I cant afford laser surgery, and I am far too flinchy and shakey to put on contacts.

I did one picture from the TAT in a psychology class; I had no trouble with it, but I did spend some time trying to come up with an original story.

...you're supposed to say something that's personally relevant to you? 'Cause I was drawing on my knowledge of the patterns of fiction, from the thousands of books I've read...

I was given the test as a child. I remember this picture.


I didn't really understand that I was supposed to say what it meant to me emotionally. I thought I was supposed to make up a story, so I came up with something (lame no doubt-I was a 4th grader).

Callista, you are supposed to "make up a story about the image" I was told. I am sure they just expect you to say something personally relevant to you because that is what most people do.

I honestly do not see how the TAT is the best tool for trying to diagnose asperger's syndrome. Of course, the doctor I am seeing, while she seems able, normally works with people who are losing cognitive ability due to dementia. I still have no idea why the office directed me to her after I contacted them to see one of the neuropsychologist autism experts.

The TAT is interesting because it's deeply based in Freudian theory on the unconscious. The idea behind the TAT and any other projective tests is that by presenting a person with a neutral stimulus, they will project their unconscious onto the medium. Why the TAT is being used as a diagnostic/screening tool for Asperger's or any spectrum disorder for that matter is sort of a mystery to me. My best guess is that it's being used to rule out other Axis II diagnoses, since some behavioral and cognitive patterns of Asperger's can be mistaken- and vice versa- for personality disorders.

Specific Responses

LK - Your doctor is probably ordering a generalized battery of tests; the TAT is just one of them. On it's own, it probably wont help much aside from ruling things out; however, it might reveal, in conjunction with other tests, that there are some patterns to thought or behavioral processes. When the clinician informed you that you had a poor understanding of human emotion, what did you notice about him or her? As a side note, and please understand that I'm a student and not really a psychologist (give it a few years) the way you present yourself makes it appear that you may fall somewhere on the autistic spectrum.

DemonAbyss10 - I think it's important to remember that, especially in psychology but realistically for all of science, tests cannot "prove" anything. They can hint at or identify certain things, but raw, total proof is absent from the scientific process. The best a psychological test can do is give us a best guess. Based on chaotic results for personality inventories, likely diagnoses to consider would be bipolar, schizophrenia, and any of the host of spectrum disorders. Also realize that being highly intelligent often reflects false-positives on personality inventories and projective tests.

Callista - As I stated above, you are supposed to tell as dramatic a story as possible when presented with the picture. If you just go with what your mind tells you, and you follow the few loose prompts that your clinician gives you, you're doing a great job, and if Freud's theory on the unconscious is correct (and it likely isn't, but for the purposes of the test, the TAT assumes it is correct) you'll be projecting thoughts in your unconscious onto the stimuli.

I'll try to check back and answer any questions or responses, but again take note that these are opinions from a student of psychology, and not in fact a psychologist. Though I would argue that raw experience wouldn't give most psychologists an edge in understanding of our field's material, I will more often then not differ to the experience of my elders.

Edit: And sorry to kick this dead topic back to life...

I've done this test with a therapist. I think my knowledge of photography and film made it easy for me. In photography classes you're always getting told to look for meaning in the photo. I hated that but I actually got good at doing it. So much that now I see meanings in every picture.

I think the TAT helped support my diagnosis and exclude other disorders.
It's true that it is somewhat psychoanalytical, but it does give the diagnostics team an insight into your social imagination.

I found it dull and tedious too. I prefer giving answers to making assumptions.
I too, was rather descriptive in my interpretations apparently. When prompted for a story, I made one up -- much like it was a screenplay pitch. The fact that I never connected the images to personal experiences turned out to be a major give-away.

The Dewey Story Test was similar in that way. You're "supposed" to put yourself in the situation, not make up external analyses.

There is no single test for ASD. All they can go on are background history, behavioral observations and psychological profiles. Combined though, those can be the basis for a solid diagnosis.

I see this is from 2010: how did it end?