Attachment Representations of Female Child Sexual Abuse Survivors Reflected in the Bird’s Nest Drawing Assessment
Date
2023
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Art Therapy
Abstract
The study examined the Bird’s Nest Drawing (BND) of
14 adults who experienced child sexual abuse perpetrated by
females, primarily their mothers. Descriptive analysis
revealed the prevalence of insecure attachment and mainly
an ambivalent representation. The drawings reflected
vulnerability and under-protectiveness. Almost one-third of
the drawings did not include caregiving and were suggestive
of loneliness, abandonment, and rejection. When maternal
caregiving was depicted, it was intrusive and characterized
by a lack of separation, abandonment, or unsatisfying
caregiving. The survivors’ narratives (n ¼ 4) revealed themes
of sadness, lack of protection, and vulnerability related to
their mothers’ lack of competence. These findings suggest that
the BND can serve as a valuable art therapy assessment tool
to better understand attachment representations.
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Keywords
child sexual abuse, Attachment representations, Israel, International Resources, birds nest drawing,
Citation
Goldner, L., & Herzig Reingold, O. (2023). Attachment Representations of Female Child Sexual Abuse Survivors Reflected in the Bird’s Nest Drawing Assessment. Art Therapy, 1-9.