Perceptual-cognitive and personality development of Mexican and Anglo-American children as measured by human figure drawings.

Presents longitudinal and cross-sectional human figure drawing data for 394 8.7-17.7 yr old Mexican and American school children. The factors of sex, age, socioeconomic status, culture, and year of repeated testing were investigated in factorial complex analyses of variance for Goodenough-Harris scores in the 1st and 2nd figures drawn and for masculinity-femininity ratings on both sex figures drawn. Percentages of Ss drawing self-sex figures 1st are presented. The importance of cultural variables as determinants of the behaviors involved in performance on these measures was evident from the significant main effects and complex interactions obtained. Cultural differences in rearing practices linked with sex of S were reflected in the poorer degree of sexual differentiation in the drawings of American, as compared with Mexican, Ss. Important methodological and interpretative issues in cross-cultural research and clinical application are discussed (e.g., those involved in employing uniculturally developed instruments with culturally different populations). (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)