Yahya Khatatbeh, Waed F. Mistarihi
ABSTRACT
Children’s drawings provide educators with a window into their emotional development and inner experiences. In school contexts, such creative expressions support early identification of psychological needs and promote holistic student well-being. This study investigates the symbolic, emotional, and spatial elements of free drawings produced by two children, aiming to uncover how these artistic choices reflect their psychological states and underlying emotional processes. Employing a qualitative psychoanalytic case study design, two participants a 7-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl were purposively selected. Each engaged in individual art sessions (30–45 minutes) within a supportive and psychologically safe environment, producing seven free drawings in total. Thematic analysis was conducted using frameworks from Jungian psychoanalysis, color psychology, and projective art theory. Observations of the children’s behaviors, verbalizations, and emotional engagement during the drawing process enriched the interpretive depth. The analysis revealed that warm and earthy tones (e.g., yellow, green, brown) signified emotional security and optimism, while darker shades and enclosed geometric shapes suggested tendencies toward self-protection and latent anxiety. Natural motifs, including mountains, rivers, and homes, emerged as symbolic representations of the children’s unconscious search for stability and belonging. Gender differences were notable, with the girl’s drawings displaying relational and affective complexity and the boy’s artworks reflecting assertive spatial organization and dynamic line work. Free drawing serves as a vital projective tool for accessing children’s unconscious experiences and emotional states. Integrating such analysis into psycho-diagnostic and therapeutic practices provides valuable insights into individual psychological realities across diverse cultural contexts.
