3.4K-F-D Interpretation

The document discusses characteristics and interpretations of Kinetic Family Drawings (KFDs) produced by normal or well-adjusted children. It provides examples of KFDs from children ages 8.5, 11, and 13.5 years old. It then discusses common characteristics seen in individual figures within KFDs such as arm extensions, elevated figures, erasures, figures on the back of the page, and omitted body parts or figures. The document also discusses common actions depicted in KFDs for mothers, fathers, and children. Finally, it outlines various styles and symbols commonly seen in KFDs and their psychological interpretations.

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May-Anne Villamor

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3.4K-F-D Interpretation

Uploaded by

May-Anne Villamor

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Normal Kinetic Family Drawings

II. K-F-D’s PRODUCED BY “WELL

ADJUSTED” OR “NORMAL” CHILDREN

K-F-D made by 8 ½-year-old Liz

Normal Kinetic Family Drawings
II. K-F-D’s PRODUCED BY “WELL ADJUSTED”
OR “NORMAL” CHILDREN
K-F-D made by 11-year-old Peter
Normal Kinetic Family Drawings
II. K-F-D’s PRODUCED BY “WELL ADJUSTED”
OR “NORMAL” CHILDREN
K-F-D made by 13 ½-year-old Joe
Characteristics of Individual K-F-D Figures
A. Arm extensions
Characteristics of Individual K-F-D Figures

B. Elevated Figures

Striving
for Dominance
Characteristics of Individual K-F-D Figures
C. Erasures
Characteristics of Individual K-F-D Figures

D. Figures on the back of the page

Characteristics of Individual K-F-D Figures
E. Hanging
Characteristics of Individual K-F-D Figures
F. Omission of Body Parts
Characteristics of Individual K-F-D Figures
G. Omission of Figures

This frequently occurs when a new baby comes

into the family, and the child refuses to draw
him as a family member in the K-F-D.
Characteristics of Individual K-F-D Figures
H. Picasso Eye
Characteristics of Individual K-F-D Figures
I. Rotated Figures
K-F-D ACTIONS
K-F-D Actions

Common Actions (1980):

 Mother: Cooking, washing, ironing, vacuuming

 Father: Mowing, repairing, watching TV

 Self: Playing, eating, riding, throwing

K-F-D Actions

 Strangers

 Lovers

 Competitors

 Non-competitors

 Conflict
K-F-D Actions
K-F-D Actions
 Anxiety
K-F-D Actions

 Avoidance

 Harmony
K-F-D Actions

 Age and sex

 Actions of individual K-F-D Figures

 Common Actions of Individual
 Father’s Actions
 Mother’s Actions
 Self Actions
K-F-D Actions
 Actions between K-F-D Figures
 Balls
 Ball bouncing
 Ball-on-the-Head
 Barriers
 Dangerous Objects
 Heat, Light, Warmth
• Fire
• Lights
• Electricity
• Ironing and Sunshine
 “X”’s
KFD Styles
1. Compartmentalization
 That they are unable to
express themselves
naturally and that the
children ‘close’
themselves off to
others.
2. Encapsulation
 The child is able to
love some people
openly but others
bother the child so
they encapsulate
them.
3. Line at Bottom
 Serves to stabilize the
child’s world with a
firm foundation as
child’s real world if
unstable
4. Edging
 Seen as a clever way
to stay on the edge
without getting
involved; likely a
tendency to avoid
situation.
5. Underlining Individual Figures
 Sometimes, only
our relationship to
individuals seems
unstable, and we
underline them.
6. Line at top
 The child’s world is
scary and rapid with
storm clouds,
darkness, and worry.
7. Folded Compartmentalization
 Severe anxiety and fear
Symbols
A
 Associated with
emphasis on
high academic
achievement
Beds
 Associated with sexual or depressive
themes
Bikes
 Reflect the child’s significant
masculine strivings; reinforce
masculine feelings.
Brooms
 Emphasizes on household cleanliness;
mother with the broom is often
associated with ‘WITCH’ mother.
Butterflies
 Associated with the search for illusive
love and beauty.
Cats
 Symbolizes with conflict in
identification with the mother.
Cuddliness of the cat combined with
its teeth and claws, creates a symbol
related to ambivalence and conflict.
 In adolescents, the cats are related
to girls having difficulty in
identification with their mothers,
with conflicts and ambivalence in
this area.
Claws
 Significant feelings of inferiority
Cribs
 Reflects many of the
dynamics in the
reactions of a child
to new favoured
baby.
Dirt
 Associated with negative feelings 
dirty thoughts or dirty clothes.
Drums
 Symbol of displaced anger
Electricity
 Symbol associated with extreme need
for warmth and love.
Fire
 2 meanings associated
with fire:
 The need of warmth
and love with great
intensity
 It may mean hate – a
destructive force
Flowers
 Represent love of beauty and the
growth process.
Garbage
 Taking our the garbage
 taking out the
unwanted and “dirty”
parts of the family
existence.
 Manifested with the
arrival of a new baby thus
is a display of significant
regressive tendencies
Heat
 Need for love and warmth
Ironing Board
 A conflict and ambivalence
toward the maternal figure
particularly if it is drawn
with an “X” to cross out the
mother.
 If drawn by a female  it is
related to the intensity of
her feeling toward a male
figure and feelings of
rejection on the part of the
mother.
Jump Rope
 Sibling rivalry – protective device for
self
Kites
 Sometimes balloons
symbolizing the
attempts to get out or
above a family
environment seen as
restrictive, This is
associated with the
desire for escape and
freedom.
Ladders
 Associated with tension and precarious
balance.
Lamps
 Symbol of warmth and love.
Lawnmowers
 A cutting symbol associated with
castrating figures.
Leaves
 Associated with dependency symbol of that which
clings to the source or nurturance.
 Also mean dependency needs.
Light bulbs
 Need for love and warmth.
Logs
 Associated with hyper masculinity or muscular
striving.
Paint brush
 An extension of the
hand and associated
with a punishing
figure.
Rain
 Associated with depressive tendencies.
Refrigerators
 Associated with
deprivation and depressive
reactions to the
deprivation.
Skin diving
 Associated with
withdrawal and depressive
tendencies usually in the
male. Boys distant from
their father, feels
emasculated, and have
depressive reactions to
their feelings.
Snakes
 A phallic symbol.
Stars
 Associated with deprivation
(physical or emotional).
 Children associate stars
with something cold and
distant.
 Depressive reaction to felt
lack of maternal love.
Stop signs
 “Keep out” signs attempts at impulse
control.
Sun
 Children with for warmth and
acceptance will be facing or leaning
toward the sun.
 Those with a feeling of rejecting
will often be far away from the sun.
Trains
 Power symbols with children.
Trees
 Used in varying ways, used as a
barrier.
Vacuum
 Symbols of powerful, controlling,
“sucking up” leaning device.
Water
 Over exaggerated and preoccupation with water
is associated with depression.
Scoring
Refrigerator
Bed
Refrigerator
Bed