Psychosomatic Medicine 32:487-494 (1970)
© 1970 American Psychosomatic Society

Projective Test Content During Pregnancy and Postpartum Adjustment

¹ Department of Pediatrics and the Child Study Center of the Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn; Department of Psychology, University of Illinois Chicago, Ill.

Address for reprint requests: E. Klatskin, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar St, New Haven, Conn 06510.

Rorschach and TAT protocols of 30 pregnant primiparas were analyzed. Fourteen of these women were judged to be well adjusted during the first 6 weeks postpartum and 16 were judged to be poorly adjusted during this period. In their antepartum Rorschachs, well adjusted women gave a significantly higher ratio of female to male percepts than did poorly adjusted women. In their TAT protocols, well adjusted women gave a significantly higher number of themes reflecting acceptance of the maternal or feminine role than did poorly adjusted women. It is concluded that, during pregnancy, subsequently poorly adjusted women were more preoccupied with their pregnancy and rejecting of the role of motherhood than were subsequently well adjusted women.

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