The Crisi Wartegg System (CWS)

Manual for Administration, Scoring, and Interpretation

Alessandro Crisi, Jacob A. Palm

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9781351342605
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Psychologie
• Subtopic: Personnalité en psychologie

The Wartegg Drawing Completion Test (WDCT) is a semi-structured, graphic, performance-based personality test, created by Ehrig Wartegg (1939). With a foundation in Gestalt and Psychodynamic theory, the WDCT has been used widely throughout Europe, South America, and Japan, but only recently has become available in the United States. Initial scoring systems for the WDCT were considered cumbersome and lacked research-driven validation. In response to these factors, Alessandro Crisi, following years of clinical practice and research, developed the Crisi Wartegg System (CWS; 1998, 2007), a normed and standardized administration, scoring, and interpretation system for the WDCT. Over the past three decades, Dr. Crisi has refined and expanded the CWS through research, broadening the scope of the measure, and increasing the accessibility of the system to clinicians. This manual provides a comprehensive guide to the CWS, made available to English-speaking clinicians for the first time.

1 History and Development of the Crisi Wartegg System

Jacob A. Palm and Alessandro Crisi

The Crisi Wartegg System (CWS), developed by Alessandro Crisi over several decades of clinical practice and research, is a standardized system of administration, scoring, and interpretation for the Wartegg Drawing Completion Test. To fully understand the contributions of this methodology, including a normatively based quantitative scoring system, one must understand the history and origins of the Wartegg Test itself, including the life of its creator, Ehrig Wartegg. The aim of this chapter is to review the historical origins of the Wartegg Test, which laid the foundation for the development of Crisi’s methodology, the Crisi Wartegg System, the focus of this manual.

The Wartegg Drawing Completion Test

The Wartegg Drawing Completion Test (WDCT; known historically as the Wartegg Zeichen Test, WZT, or simply the Wartegg Test) is a semi-structured, graphic, projective (performance-based) personality test. Created in 1926 by German psychologist Ehrig Wartegg (1897–1983), the first text related to the test was published in 1939, and the first test manual in 1953. Using the model proposed by Bornstein (2007) for the classification of personality measures, the Wartegg Test can be considered a stimulus-attribution test in which examinees attribute meaning through the characteristics of their stimulus interpretation. When taking the Wartegg Test, examinees are prone to project contents, dynamics, and organization of their personality (Rapaport, 1977). Moreover, the simplicity of the stimuli is likely to bypass the defensive mechanisms of the examinee (McCully, 1988), yielding rich information about the structure and functioning of personality. In regard to the WDCT, Kinget (1952) asserted, “Another merit of the test lies in the fact that the material used does not threaten the subject by the strangeness of its appearance or by its emotional implications, but rather appeals to him by its simple and neutral character” (p. xiv). As Schwartz (2016) wrote, “myriad clinical examples of the usefulness in understanding individual personality adds to the potential usefulness of this curious and interesting new (old) measure” (p. 12).

Until recently, the WDCT has remained mostly unknown to psychologists in North America. In fact, the test has been written about in only one English- language book (Kinget, 1952), and was featured in an article in Life Magazine (“Complete These Drawings,” Life Magazine, Vol. 9 (1952), pp. 65–68). It was later described by Buros (1959) as “an interesting tool for its potential,” although it failed to gain a foothold of use in the United States. While relatively unknown to primarily English-speaking clinicians, the WDCT is widely used in Northern European countries (i.e., Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway), Germany, Spain, Italy, and South America. It further has a long history of use in Japan. In these countries, particularly due to the work of notable scholars (see Caviglia, 2005; Falcone, Grasso, & Pinkus, 1986; Fontana, 1984, 2005, 2012, 2013; Mattlar, 2015; Scarpellini, 1962, 1964; Torazza, 1993; and Gardziella, 1985, to name a few), the test is widely used in the field of clinical evaluation, occupational selection, and educational and vocational screening and placement.

Several versions of the Wartegg Test exist. Lossen and Schott (1975) list seven versions, noting significant formatting and interpretation differences between the various methods. In this manual, the WDCT (as we will refer to the Wartegg Drawing Completion Test) will always indicate the version consisting of eight boxes, labeled 1 to 8, displayed in two parallel rows, with each row consisting of four boxes. Each box is delineated by a thick black margin and contains a different graphic stimulus or “mark” (see Figure 1.1, Client WDCT Form, below). The marks, in order of the boxes, include:

Box 1: A dot in the center;

Box 2: A curved dash in the upper left;

Box 3: Three parallel vertical lines, increasing in height from left to right;

Box 4: A small black square positioned at the top right of the box;

Box 5: Two opposite lines perpendicular to each other in the bottom left-hand corner;

Box 6: Two lines at right angles to each other, a horizontal line above a vertical line to the right;

Box 7: A series of dots arranged in a semi-circle open upward, positioned in the lower right-hand corner;

Box 8: A downward facing curve.

It is this version of the WDCT that is always utilized according to CWS guidelines.

The WDCT has several important advantages and benefits in comparison to other performance-based personality measures. As Kinget (1952) described, the WDCT provides a relatively unstructured modality for the examinee to complete (allowing ample space for projection and free association), while significant structure is simultaneously provided to the examiner (promoting standardization and consistent administration and scoring). Additional benefits, per Kinget, included the generation of multiple data points promoting the “crosschecking” of interpretive data, simple and non-threatening stimuli that do not affectively activate examinees, and practicality and efficiency of administration, scoring, and interpretation. Lastly, Kinget wrote of the measure’s “conduciveness to spontaneous verbal developments on the part of the subject” (p. xv). She noted the releasing or “opening” effect that drawing has on an individual’s self-awareness, asserting that this process is especially conducive to the evaluation of personality.

FIGURE 1.1 Client WDCT Form.

Figure 1.1 provides a sample copy of the WDCT form on which the client draws.

Source: Wartegg, E. (1953), Schichtdiagnostik—Der Zeichentest (WZT), Hogrefe, Verlag für Psychologie. Copyright: 1957, Hogrefe, Verlag für Psychologie-Göttingen; 2014, Hogrefe Editore.
Please note that this test form is only a sample. Any kind of reproduction is strictly forbidden. A valid test result can only be obtained by a professionally qualified test administrator and using the original test materials. The test material can only be ordered at the Hogrefe Publishing Group (www.hogrefe.com). For any questions, please contact [email protected].

In considering the Crisi Wartegg System (CWS) guidelines for the WDCT, these previously elaborated advantages persist, with additional benefits of the system noted. First, test instructions are easily understood by examinees of all ages and cognitive abilities, making it a useful test for assessment across the lifespan, including with those who demonstrate cognitive or developmental delays. Second, the WDCT is short to administer, with most subjects completing the test in 5–10 minutes. Third, the WDCT provides exceptional clinical efficiency, able to be scored in approximately 10–15 minutes by a proficient examiner, and taking only 30 additional minutes for interpretation. Fourth, a computer-scoring program is available (described in ► Appendix E) to facilitate reliable calculation of scores and indices. Fifth, the test may be administered in both individual and group administration formats (Crisi, in Handler & Thomas, 2014b). Sixth, the CWS has demonstrated effectiveness in a variety of settings including utility in screening and identification of the need for further assessment (Crisi & Carlesimo, 2008; Daini, Manzo, Pisani, & Tancredi, 2010; Daini, Petrongolo, Manzo, & Bernardini, 2012). Seventh, the WDCT is particularly useful in cases where other performance-based measures yield coarcted or overly defensive protocols; as noted above, the simplicity of the test stimuli oftentimes circumvents examinees’ defenses. Last, the WDCT is less affectively overwhelming for most clients (as compared to other measures of personality), lending itself well to most assessment situations, including collaborative and therapeutic assessment approaches (Finn, 2014).

In this chapter, the development of the Crisi Wartegg System (CWS) will be reviewed. With that aim in mind, first, the historical foundations of the Wartegg Drawing Completion Test will be presented, including biographical and historical information about Ehrig Wartegg and discussion of his original interpretive system for the WDCT. Review of other interpretive systems, developed over time by various scholars, will be briefly discussed, including the English-language system developed by G. Marian Kinget (1952). The origins of the Crisi Wartegg System, including historical developments, early research, and development of the normative samples, will be presented. An overview of current developments in the CWS, including applications to Therapeutic Assessment (Finn, 2007) will be provided. Lastly, the organization of this manual will be reviewed.

Historical Foundations of the Wartegg Drawing Completion Test

The foundations and development of the Wartegg Drawing Completion Test parallel the life history of the test’s creator, Ehrig Wartegg, and must be understood within the context of that history. Given the time period of Wartegg’s professional development, as well as socio-political events in Europe during his lifetime, much about the life and work of Ehrig Wartegg is relatively unknown as compared to his contemporaries. For example, only one picture of Wartegg is known to exist, and until recently, his writings were generally unavailable with the exception of early publications (Wartegg, 1934, 1936, 1939, 1953). Most recently, a previously unpublished semi-autobiographical manuscript, “Sign of the times: The life and research of a psychodiagnostician” [translated], was published (Wartegg, 2000; in Bernhardt & Lockot, 2000). The majority of historical information reviewed in this chapter is summarized from two excellent biographical works on the life of Ehrig Wartegg, including the development of the WDCT, written by Eka Roivanen (2009) and Umberto Fontana (2013). Additional information comes from recollections by Wartegg’s psychoanalyst, Therese Benedek, as well as interviews with Wartegg conducted by Peter Klemperer, published in 2000. A debt of gratitude is owed to these authors for their role in preserving the history and scientific contributions of Ehrig Wartegg.

A Brief Life History of Ehrig Wartegg

Born in Dresden, Germany on July 7, 1897, Ehrig Wartegg’s life story is full of contradictions, struggles, and socio-cultural factors that required him to adapt to personal and professional frustrations, hide his true theoretical interests, and minimize his ambitious aspirations (Fontana, 2013). He was recognized as a hardworking, quiet, and well-respected academician (Bernhardt & Lockot, 2000), well esteemed by doctors and patients alike, and was considered a leader in the field and practice of psychoanalysis.

Fontana (2013) describes Wartegg’s childhood as “unhappy,” indicating that his parents separated shortly after his birth. While he remained with his mother, the pair moved in with a wealthy commercial businessman who became Wartegg’s stepfather. Wartegg is reported to have felt like a “stranger” in his stepfather’s home. While his upbringing was affluent, and he attended a prestigious school alongside children of nobility and high society, Wartegg is reported to have preferred socializing with everyday “normal” peers. He left home at 18, following in his father’s footsteps, and entering the Austro-Hungarian army during the First World War (Roivanen, 2009). Having completed military academy training, Wartegg served on the Eastern Front, as a lieutenant of artillery, until he was seriously wounded in 1915. Serving in non-active duty positions following a lengthy recovery, Wartegg resigned from the military at the end of the war, entering “normal life” (Fontana, 2013).

Following his departure from the military, Wartegg was uncertain as to what career to pursue, demonstrating interest and aptitude in music, writing, art, and theatrical arts (Fontana, 2013). Initially deciding on music, Wartegg studied composition with famed German conductors, including Karl Böhm and Kurt Streigler. He further had opportunities to socialize with notable musicians of the time, given his family connections, including Gustav Mahler, Arturo Toscanini, Richard Strauss, and Igor Stravinski (Fontana, 2013; Roivanen, 2009). Along wi...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• List of Figures
• List of Tables
• Notes on Contributors
• Foreword
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• A Note about Adaptation
• List of Abbreviations
• 1 History and Development of the Crisi Wartegg System
• 2 Statistical Foundations of the Crisi Wartegg System
• 3 Administration
• 4 Evocative Character
• 5 Scoring
• 6 Computation
• 7 Diagnostic Interpretation
• 8 Conceptualization
• Appendices
• Index