The Diagnostic Drawing Series (DDS) at Thirty

Abstract

Developed by art therapists in 1982, the Diagnostic Drawing Series (DDS) is a standardized three-picture art interview for use with adolescents and adults. Each of the three DDS tasks taps a different capacity: cognitive, symbolic, and affective. This helps the art therapist to assess the client's issues, defenses, and strengths. DDS can be used for individual use, and also for group art therapy sessions. Art therapy students can administer DDSs and work with the pictures and the patients' process in a clinical setting. Some art therapists collect DDSs for donation to the archive, some start study groups or provide supervision, some perform research, and some teach the results. A small group is putting forth a lot of effort on behalf of the field of art therapy as a whole, from which all benefit. The art interview can be administered for assessment and effective treatment with clients from any country/culture.

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