THE USE OF THE BENDER VISUAL-MOTOR GESTALT TEST WITH DEPRESSED-PATIENTS

The literature was surveyed with the purpose of locating all reported signs of depression associated with the Bender-Gestalt. All Bender(R) manuals and leading textbooks were then perused for additional signs, descriptions of these signs, and the dynamic correlates associated wit h these signs. Thirty Bender(R) indices of depression were compiled fr om the literature review. Ten depressive categories were derived from the DSM-IV and other sources, and behavioral manifestations of each of these 10 categories were then outlined. A worksheet was developed con sisting of the 10 categories, and the Bender(R) and behavioral determi nants of each of these categories. Finally, two scoring procedures wer e proposed using a configurational approach. These consisted of the pr esence of 5 of the 10 categories, represented by Bender(R) or behavior al determinants. Each of these indicators received a weight of 5 makin g a total of 10 weighted points, a number believed to be indicative of depression. The second procedure comprises the presence of any 5 of t he determined 30 Bender(R) signs of depression. Again, each of these s igns is given a weight of 2 totalling a weight of 10 as a cut-off poin t for depression. Subjects who attain a weighted score of 10 or higher by either of the two above methods of scoring will be considered depr essed.