The Application of the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
in Social Work Practice with People with Intellectual Disabilities

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https://doi.org/10.54937/2026.9788056112410.285-290

Autor/ Author: Adam Čvirik  

In: DOKOR 2025. Recenzovaný zborník z interdisciplinárnej doktorandskej konferencie

ISBN: 978-80-561-1241-0

Strany/ Page Range: 285-290

Rok vydania/ Publication Year: 2026

Jazyk/ Language: Slovak

Vydavateľ/ Publisher: VERBUM – vydavateľstvo Katolíckej univerzity v Ružomberku

Abstrakt/ Abstract: The paper presents the application of the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) as a projective method in social work practice with people with intellectual disabilities. The research, originally conducted as part of the author’s master’s thesis, focused on analyzing stories elicited by selected and adapted TAT cards in order to capture respondents’ perceptual-cognitive and emotional characteristics. Based on qualitative analysis, original interpretive scales were developed to assess narrative coherence, emotional differentiation, understanding of social situations, and relationship dynamics.
The findings suggest that people with intellectual disabilities can express aspects of their inner world — needs for safety, relationships, and acceptance — through a modified TAT, albeit mostly in a simplified narrative form. These insights can be used in social diagnostics, individualized service planning, as well as in supervision and training of social workers. The paper also opens a discussion on the interdisciplinary use of projective techniques in social work as tools for deeper understanding of clients.

Kľúčové slová/ Keywords: TAT, intellectual disability, social work, narrative analysis, perceptual-cognitive characteristics

Citácia/ How to cite:

ČVIRIK, Adam, 2026. Aplikácia Tématicko-apercepčného testu (TAT) v sociálnej práci s osobami s mentálnym postihnutím. In: DOKOR 2025. Recenzovaný zborník z interdisciplinárnej doktorandskej konferencie. Online. Ružomberok: VERBUM – vydavateľstvo Katolíckej univerzity v Ružomberku, 2026, s. 285-290. ISBN 978-80-561-1241-0. Dostupné na: https://doi.org/10.54937/2026.9788056112410.285-290

Toto dielo je publikované pod/ This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.