The House-Tree-Person test is based on the premise that unconscious aspects of the personality are exposed through the person's drawings of familiar items. Children who have experienced sexual abuse are often hesitant to respond to direct questioning about this experience. Researchers have studied the H-T-P to determine if these children produce discrete indicators of the abuse, however the test's validity and reliability have not been proven. Despite this lack of psychometric support, the test can be very valuable in providing general information about the child's personality and more importantly strengthen the professional relationship between child and counselor. (Contains 14 references.) (Author)