Test of the person in the rain: what it is and how to interpret it

The person in the rain test, or PITR, is a picture test. projectives used in psychology to gather information about human behavior and the personality of individuals. It is a graphic-projective tool that is part of the theories of psychoanalysis. It seeks to respond, through subjective systematization, to the deficiencies, traumas or conflicting behaviors of people through the elements they possess. For this reason, it is one of the most widely used instruments in different fields such as education, work and even in clinical psychology.

Do you want to know more about this test? In this Psychology-Online article we will talk about the person in the rain test: what it is and how to interpret it.

Index

1. What is the person test in the rain
2. What is the use of the person test in the rain?
3. Interpretation of the test person in the rain
4. The umbrella
5. Soil
6. Natural elements
7. Person

The person in the rain test, also known as the Figure in the Rain Test, is a

It is a very simple test, in which you only need paper and pencil. The person is asked to draw, describe and give meaning to a scene of a person in the rain, as well as the feelings and thoughts it evokes. Additionally, you are encouraged to project your own experiences and emotions onto the figure of the person in the rain.

The main purpose of this instrument is obtain information about the individual's personality, as well as his attitudes towards life situations, the management of emotions and internal conflicts. It is considered a projective technique because the individual is expected to project aspects of his own personality into the interpretation of the picture. However, these are not standardized tests and only professionals in psychology, psychiatry, and human behavior can analyze the data provided by the test.

The purpose of this projective test is to capture, through an image or symbolism, different aspects of the personality that are housed in the person's subconscious and that have a hard time express it.

There is no right or wrong way to do the drawing, since everyone is free to capture what they see fit on the sheet of paper, since her emotions will be reflected in the image. Then, the individual must narrate a story consistent with what he drew and that explains his emotions projected on the image.

With that said, let's look at some of the uses and objectives of the person in the rain test:

• Personality scan: This test makes it possible to obtain information about the individual's personality, including their attitudes, emotions, ways of coping and internal conflict. Through the responses and interpretation of the scene, personality traits, coping styles, and thought and emotional patterns can be identified.
• Self-knowledge: It also helps the individual to explore and reflect on their own emotions, thoughts, and experiences, as well as to reveal subconscious aspects of the personality and facilitate awareness about them.
• It serves to explore underlying conflicts and emotions: through the interpretations and associations that the individual makes in relation to the figure under which rain, it is possible to detect possible internal conflicts, emotional difficulties and thought patterns negatives.
• Supports clinical evaluation: the instrument can be used as part of a broader assessment in the clinical setting to help professionals to better understand the individual, identify specific symptoms or disorders, and plan treatment appropriate.

It is important to note that the Person in the Rain test is not a diagnosis in itself, but a tool to obtain information and generate reflection, and should always be interpreted by a professional trained in psychology.

The ease of interpreting this test is what makes it so widely used in different social settings. It is a test aimed at people from 6 years of age and, basically, you only need a pencil and a sheet of paper to start the test.

As we already mentioned, the professional asks the person to draw a person in the rain, without giving further details of the elements. The objective is for the person to understand that he is going to face a natural and even disturbing phenomenon, to see how he reacts to it and with what elements he can defend himself. Then, the professional will analyze each of the elements present in the image, taking into consideration the following:

It is the main element that represents the person's defense against external elements, in this case, the rain. Therefore, if the individual draws a very small umbrella, it means that he has little desire to defend himself in certain situations or that he shows shyness and insecurity. If, on the other hand, the umbrella is very large, it means that you are focused on his convictions and that you have a lot of personal security.

Similarly, a closed umbrella is related to resignation and passivity, while if the umbrella shows holes or It is drawn like a spear, it could be related to a manipulative personality or one who enjoys hurting others.

The ground represents the stability of people, so if it is drawn with weakness, it means that the individual shows insecurity or concern. If the person does not draw the ground, it may be that he is still in a process of exploration and that he has not defined certain parameters in his life. And if the ground is drawn with too much pressure, it is a symbol of rage, anger or aggressiveness.

The presence of puddles, the shape of the drops and the intensity of the rain also have their interpretation in the test of the person in the rain. For example, if the rain is fine and your umbrella is the right size, it means that the person can take care of their problems and knows how to manage their emotions. If the rain is torrential, it means that there may be a lot of stress on the individual or that they are in a hostile environment.

It may be that the person refuses to draw the rain and that is usually associated with an oppositional personality and does not like to follow certain established rules. Also, if puddles or lightning are added to the drawing, it is possible that the subject is describing that he is under more pressure than he can bear.

The test of the person in the rain includes a human figure, although many children also draw flowers or animals and there are no problems. Now, if the person has an asymmetric shape, it may be associated with a lack of emotional balance. When the figure is arranged to the right, in general, the individual feels attached to the paternal, and if the arrangement is to the right, then to the maternal.

In addition, professionals usually analyze the width of the shoulders, the arrangement of the fingers and even the musculature in search of personality traits projected on the figure. The size of the image also has an associated meaning, since if the drawing is very small, it reflects low self-esteem and if covers the entire page, it may be symbolizing an over-projection of self-esteem, which also causes an imbalance in the personality.

In any case, only trained experts can give an impression of the test results, which in itself does not represent an definitive diagnosis, since it must be accompanied by other tests and dynamics that mental health professionals determine for each case.

This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to Test of the person in the rain: what it is and how to interpret it, we recommend that you enter our category of Personality.

• Chung, K. (2012). "The Person Under the Rain" Drawing Response Characteristics and Ways of Coping with Stress in University Students. Korean Journal of Art Therapy, 19, 1029-1044. https://doi.org/10.35594/kata.2012.19.5.004
• Hammer, E.F. (1958). The Clinical Application of Projective Drawings. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas.