Author(s)

Elisabeth Eurelings-Bontekoe, Kirsten Zwinkels, Hanneke Schaap-Jonker, Moshen Edrisi

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This study explored the usefulness of a Thematic Apperception Test (TAT, Murray, 1943) narrative scoring system to detect signs of autistic information processing. A total of 27 patients with an Autism Spectrum Disor- der were compared to a control group (N = 67) of patients with other psychiatric disorders. As an external indi- rect measure of social functioning two dimensions of the Social Cognition and Object Relation Scale (SCORS; Westen,1985) were used: Capacity for Emotional and Moral Investment in Relationships and Understanding of Social Causality. TAT narratives were rated on the prevalence of eight phenomena, as proposed by Edrisi and Eurelings-Bontekoe (2009). Autistic patients showed a lower level of social insight and were particularly char- acterized by high scores on Weak Central Coherence, Jumping to Conclusions and Difficulty with describing/ interpreting movements. Results provide preliminary support for the usefulness of the TAT scoring system, but need to be replicated using larger samples and blind scoring.

Autism, Thematic Apperception Test, Social Cognition, Adults

Eurelings-Bontekoe, E. , Zwinkels, K. , Schaap-Jonker, H. & Edrisi, M. (2011). Formal Characteristics of Thematic Apperception Test Narratives of Adult Patients with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. A Preliminary Study. Psychology, 2, 687-693. doi: 10.4236/psych.2011.27105.