The following is excerpted from a text used in our graduate program in
special education. Unfortunately, I only have my copy of the page, and
have lost the cite. Perhaps someone out there in the special ed field
will recognize it.............Anyway, it starts off kinda slow, but I
think you'll enjoy it.
The Cat Test
To identify emotionally disturbed individuals accurately, Algozzine,
Foster, and Kaufman (1979) developed the CAT TEST. This simple, yet
novel test is easily administered by professionals, parents, and
aides. It involves three simple steps. (1) place testee in empty room
facing far wall; (2) place cat into center of room, close and latch
door; (3) after 10 minutes, open the door. Algozzine, et. al., note
that the CAT TEST allows fine discriminations between
subclassifications of emotional disturbance. They offer the following
guidelines for interpretation of results.
- OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE - four neat, meticulous piles of fur to be
found in the corners of room - cat alive, but cold.
- SOCIALIZED DELINQUENT - fur scattered randomly about room and on
testee - cat alive, still cold.
- a. MANIC/DEPRESSIVE (MANIC STAGE) - pieces of cat scattered randomly
about room - cat terminated.
- b. MANIC/DEPRESSIVE (DEPRESSIVE STAGE) - pieces of testee scattered
randomly about room - emotional stability of cat suspect.
- PARANOID REACTION - testee cowering in far corner of room - cat
alive and sleeping in center of room.
- PSYCOPATHOLOGY - only evidence of cat is skin, wrapped loosely
about testee's head - cat assumed terminated.
- SCHIZOPHRENIC REACTION - testee in center of room carrying on long
existential discussion with cat - cat alive, but confused.
- NEUROTIC REACTION - testee asking cat for advise about migraine
headache - cat alive and still confused.
- CATATONIC REACTION - testee in corner of room with back arched,
hair on end, hissing and refusing to acknowledge presence of cat - cat
alive, confused, and sexually aroused.