A Multiple Choice Test for Screening Purposes

Abstract
The author describes a modification of the Rorschach test which employs the use of multiple choice answers and which can be given and evaluated in 5 mins. time. The individual is given a list of ten alternative answers at the same time that an ink blot is presented to him and is asked to pick the answer which he feels is the best description of the blot or any part of the blot. Five of the ten answers selected were chosen from the records of healthy normal individuals and the other five from records of persons with various types of psychological disturbances. The test was given to 4 groups as follows: Group I composed of 329 unselected normals; Group II composed of 225 [male] prisoners at Waupun Prison; Group III composed of 30 students who had consulted the college psychiatrist; Group IV composed of 143 neuropsychiatric cases committed to state hospitals. The results show that the normal group give the lowest number of poor answers, the prison group the next lowest, the student group referred by the psychiatrist next, and the institutionalized patients the highest number of poor answers. The test offers promise as a screening device. Its purpose is to "direct the psychiatrist''s attention[long dash]in the shortest possible time[long dash]to certain individuals with very different types of disturbances who might otherwise escape detection. It is not at this stage attempting to make any differential diagnosis on the basis of the 10 digit score.".