Understanding the Psychological Profiles of Dementia Patients through Rorschach Inkblot Analysis

Abstract

Dementia is a long-term neurodegenerative disorder accompanied with cognitive, linguistic and behavioral impairment. Hence, the objective of this study was to explore the psychological and cognitive profiles of dementia patients with the help of a battery of tests, including the Rorschach inkblot test, dementia severity rating scale (DSRS), mini-mental state examination (MMSE), and clock drawing test. A total of 40 subjects were enrolled, with 20 being diagnosed with dementia and the other 20 matched as controls without dementia. It was found that the responses in Rorschach were different in the dementia group, significant linguistic errors such as reduced verbal fluency and semantic distortions, and figurative inaccuracies denoting visuospatial and cognitive deficits. The DSRS scores correlated strongly with the severity of impairment in the results of MMSE. Compared to the controls, dementia patients had marked deficits in all assessments, including memory, executive function, and visuospatial abilities. The present research advocates for the addition of Rorschach in the classical cognitive battery towards a better understanding of dementia's multifaceted impact. Findings here bear significant relevance to improving the diagnosis and tailoring interventions toward the needs of dementia patients.