Sex identification in preschool children: a comprehensive analysis of nominal and content indicators of the Draw‑a‑Person Test

Context and relevance. The paper systematizes theoretical approaches to the diagnosis of gender identification in preschoolers. The relevance of the study is due to changes in the sociocultural context (the spread of neutral parenting models and the erosion of traditional roles), which requires a revision of classical diagnostic tools. Goal. To establish the nature of the relationship between the nominal indicator (choice of gender of the figure) and meaningful markers (clothing, attributes, and color) in the Draw‑a‑Person Test (DAP) in children aged 5—7, and to identify gender differences in its manifestation. Hypothesis. Distribution of children by types of gender identification would differ significantly by gender, and that content markers would have a stronger association with integral typology than the nominal indicator. Methods and materials. The sample consisted of 108 children aged 5—7 years (57 boys, 51 girls) from kindergartens in Irkutsk. The DAP test was used according to the classical procedure by K. Mahover, with a post-drawing interview. A coding system was developed, including a nominal indicator, content markers, and an integral typology (five levels). Statistical analysis was performed using the Pearson’s χ² test and the contingency coefficient. Results. In girls, adequate identification is dominant (58.8%), while in boys, the distribution is bimodal: adequate identification is 33.3%, and unformed identification is 43.9% (χ² = 49.3 and 34.5, respectively, p < 0.001). Content markers (facial details, hair, clothing, and attributes) are significantly more common in girls, even when the gender selection is nominally adequate (p < 0.01—0.001). The correlation coefficient for the relationship between attributes and the type of identification (C = 0.58) is higher than for the nominal indicator (C = 0.41). Conclusions. Content-based gender markers make a significant contribution to diagnostic assessment, which confirms the need for a comprehensive system of coding human drawings. The obtained data indicate the need for a differentiated approach to the formation of gender identification in preschool institutions, with a focus on psychological and pedagogical support for boys as a risk group.

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