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Psychiatrists in their eyes: Children's drawings of what a psychiatrist looks like

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Sami Omer ,
Niamh O'Connor ,
Gavin Sweeney  and
Geraldine McCarthy
Sami Omer*
Affiliation:
Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Sligo, Ireland
Niamh O'Connor
Affiliation:
Sligo/Leitrim Mental Health Services, Clarion Road, Sligo, Ireland
Gavin Sweeney
Affiliation:
Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Liscarney House, Pearse Road, Sligo, Ireland
Geraldine McCarthy
Affiliation:
Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Liscarney House, Pearse Road, Sligo, Ireland
*
*Correspondence E-mail Omersami@hotmail.com
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Abstract

Drawings can be used as an important tool to measure children's perception and emotions. Using a qualitative design, we asked a group of 24 school children (10 boys and 14 girls) aged 11-12 to draw their impressions of psychiatrists. In the majority of drawings, psychiatrists were portrayed as a friendly or kind figure. The art work was analysed by the coordinator of the Arts Initiative in Mental Health, Niamh O'Connor. Psychiatrists were portrayed positively by this group of young people. This reflects a strong influence of the media on children's perception.

Type
Original Paper
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 29 , Issue 1 , 2012 , pp. 33 - 35
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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