THE CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RORSCHACH TEST
C. EARLE JOHNSON JR. M. D.1, and
JAMES E. SHERMAN M. D.1
1 The Alabama State Hospitals, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
It will be noticed that the authors have not laid overemphasis on sexual responses. These are manifested by particular attention to the lower details, interpreted as portions of the female pelvis or to phallic symbols or to their complete avoidance (sexual repression). This is because they occur generally in behavior problems and correctly belong in the realm of clinical psychology. Repressed sexual responses are occasionally encountered in the manic type of manic-depressive psychosis (particularly when the patient is recovering and is unsure of himself) and more rarely in psychoneuroses. Likewise, we have not attempted to interpret the degree of mental defect because this can be ascertained only by a psychometric test and not by the Rorschach. We do believe from our findings that the Rorschach test can be of tremendous value in psychiatry but, as previously stated, should be nothing more than a useful aid to the psychiatrist in his diagnostic investigations.
