Examination of the relationship between aggression impulse levels and family perception in 7-9-year-old children through projective tests

This study aims to examine the relationship between the aggression impulse levels of 7-9-year-old children and their family perceptions through projective tests. In this mixed-method study, the Draw a Picture of Cactus Test was applied to 55 students during the quantitative stage, and then qualitative data were collected by running the Family Drawing Test with 12 children determined through extreme case sampling. The findings showed that children with low levels of aggression portrayed their families as affectionate and supportive, whereas children with high levels of aggression portrayed their families as emotionally distant and deficient. The results indicated that the aggressive behaviours displayed by the children were not only closely correlated with individual factors but also with family dynamics and the children's attachment experiences. Projective tests can be an important early diagnosis and intervention tool, especially for teachers and school counselling units that work with primary school students.