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MORENO'S SOCIAL ATOM: A DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT TOOL

FOR EXPLORING INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS*

DALE RICHARD BUCHANAN, MSt

Moreno· s social atom inventory, a projective test and treatment technique for collecting informa-
tion about a client's interpersonal relationships, is presented. J.L. Moreno hypothesized that the
smallest unit of mankind is not the individual but the social atom. The social atom is composed of
all the client's interpersonal relationships (dead or alive, real or fantasy) which are essential to the
client·s daily living. Included in the discussion is a brief review of the history of sociometry and
the social atom inventory, a sample questionnaire, clinical case examples and guidelines and
precautions for clinical application.

Although articles in The Arts in Psychother- this may be because Moreno· s earlier works are
apy have tended to focus upon specific arts relatively unknown to today· s creative arts prac-
therapies (art, dance, music, drama and biblio- titioners. Though most creative arts therapists
therapy) and general art therapy concepts and have integrated constructs such as creativity/
concerns, by and large the contributions of J.L. spontaneity, enactment, here-and-now processes
Moreno, MD (1889-1974) to the creative arts and group dynamics into their clinical practice,
therapies have been neglected. Moreno, an ac- they could benefit from a review of Moreno's
knowledged pioneer in the fields of group psy- early writings in these subjects (Moreno, J.L.,
chotherapy and role theory and the creator 1953, 1980, 1st Ed. 1946; Moreno & Moreno,
of psychodrama and sociometry, was an early 1959, 1969).
advocate of therapeutic applications of the arts. Two of Moreno· s seminal concepts which
Recently, creative arts therapy leaders such as have received scant attention from arts therapists
McNiff (1979, 1981) and Fleshman and Fryrear are his philosophical and treatment applications
( 1981) have commented on the debt that all arts of the Godhead, and the theory and techniques of
in therapy owe to Moreno, and the relevance of sociometry. While the idea of the Godhead con-
his theoretical, developmental and technical ap- tinues to be surrounded by mysticism, which is
plications to the creative arts therapies. all too easily rejected by conservative therapists
This author has presented workshops on vari- (see Moreno, J.L., 1941), sociometry has been
ous Morenean concepts to national conventions widely adapted by educators, social psycholo-
of the creative arts therapies for the past several gists and sociologists. Sociometry, however, has
years. In general, the response to the workshops not entered the mainstream of the creative arts
has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic. In part therapies. This author hypothesizes that the lack
*Dale Buchanan wishes to thank Tom Nash, Alyce Smith Cooper and Denise Cline for their cooperation in obtaining social atom
figures for this article. The work described in this paper was done as part of the author's employment with the federal government
and is therefore in the public domain. The views expressed are the opinion of the author and not necessarily those of Saint
Elizabeths Hospital.
+Dale Buchanan, Chief of the Psychodrama Section at Saint Elizabeths Hospital. Washington, DC. is also Vice President of the
American Society of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama. He is certified as a Trainer, Educator, Practitioner by the American
Board of Examiners in Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy. Inquiries and requests for reprints should be sent to
Dale Richard Buchanan, Psychodrama Section. Saint Elizabeths Hospital, Washington, DC 20037.

155
 DALE RJCHARD BuCHA:--iAt\

of interest in sociometry among clinical practi- in our feelings. Moreno refers to this range of
tioners is primarily a function of the lack of feelings between persons as k/r:. Tele (social
awareness of these concepts. This article is an forces) are invisible communication channels be-
attempt to introduce creative arts therapists to tween individuals which form the glue of our
the concepts of sociometry and to the specific society. Empathy and transference are both one-
clinical technique of the social atom. way communication patterns from one individual
to another. or to one individual from another.
SOCIOMETRY Tele embodies the concepts of accuracy and reci-
in
procity. Difficulties interpersonal relationships
Sociometry in its literal sense refers to the sci- result when there are inaccuracies or distortions
entific measurement of groups. {n practical usage within these communication patterns. For exam-
sociometry refers to the attraction, rejection and ple. difficulties arise when one individual is at-
neutral patterns between members of a group. tracted to another but the other is either neutral
l\foreno and his students (primarily Jennings, or rejects him. Some people have culturally
1950. and Northway, 1952) pioneered in the use adapted to the double-bind communication pat-
of sociometry, which has received widespread terns of our society, while others have not and
acceptance in the fields of education, social psy- attempt to bring sociostatis (the tendency of a
chology and sociology. While Moreno intro- system to maintain internal-social-stability) to
duced sociometry and the importance of inter- their lives by acting on perceived communication
personal relations to his psychiatric colleagues, it systems. We probably have all encountered
is probably Sullivan (Perry, 1982) who is best many of these approach/avoidance interactions.
known for establishing interpersonal relations as A rejecting mother may tell her child of her love
a vital domain in psychotherapy. while nonverbally communicating her rejection.
Sociometry is the philosophical cornerstone of An office worker may deny attraction to another
psychodramatic treatment. Macro-sociometry is but nevertheless remain flirtatious and seductive
the study of cultures and countries, while micro- in nonverbal interactions. The creative-sponta-
sociometry is the study of the social atom. neous person may try to seek out the reason for
~foreno (1953) viewed man as developing from the contradictory messages or can accept the
his interactions with the individuals around him. relationship as it is. The more neurotic individual
real and fantasized. Therefore he postulated that may continue to respond solely to the verbal
the smallest unit of society is not the individual statements and never acknowledge the nonverbal
but the social atom. The social atom is composed messages. A neurotic may enter intO a love-hate
of all the persons who are essential to one per- relationship with another which replicates past
son ·s life. Both friends and enemies are a part of experiences (e.g .. an unwanted child may marry
the social atom. Every individual from birth has a a mate similar to his own opposite sex parent and
set of relationships around him-mother, father, find himself in an unwanted marriage). A neu-
brothers and sisters. lovers and antagonists, stu- rotic may also seek to project feelings onto
dents and mentors. The volume of the social someone who does not have the same character-
atom expands during the course of human devel- istics of his "model" social atom figure.
opment as the child moves from the nuclear fam- Social atoms are connected to one another to
ily to society, and with old age the social atom form social molecules. These social molecules
generally begins to shrink as the persons in the may also be called subcultures, and the social
social atom move or die and are not replaced by molecules join with one another to form a cul-
others. The social atom is a dynamic construct ture. The extent to ,vhich there are rejection and
which represents a person's degree of chlll isolation patterns between members of a social
1·ita/-the concept developed by Bergson which atom or social molecules indicates the extent to
Moreno uses to describe aspects of sociometry. which there is discord and tension within our
Basically, dan 1·ital is the life force. society. The most observable cleavages in our
Each of us has certain feelings towards mem- society are racial, ethnic, religious and sexual.
bers of our social atom. Some individuals attract Hollander (I 974) has documented the degree to
us. others repel us, and with some we are neutral which our prisons are populated by social iso-
 SOCIAL ATOM 157

!ates. Earlier Moreno ( 1953. 1st Ed. 1934) had traction stars and rejection stars. Indices of
concluded through empirical research that social social expansiveness (e.g., the number of per-
isolates are most likely to be found in our institu- sons chosen versus the number which could be
tions (mental. correctional) and are most likely to chosen) indicate whether a group is. in Moreno's
commit suicide. Many of the terrorist acts which term. "constipated" or "expressive ... Indices of
have been committed over the past twenty years group cohesion ( the number of mutual attractions
were performed by the socially and emotionally between members) are also charted.
isolated in a desperate attempt for recognition Sociometry as envisioned by Moreno is a
(Bassin. 1977). standard of principles universally binding for
Sociometric stars (whether positive or nega- human society. Given the empirically proven
tive) generally reflect rather than lead the value sociodynamic effect of groups to overchoose
systems of their culture. Sociometrists do not some individuals while ignoring others, Moreno
make value judgments but rather serve as facili- ( 1949) was extremely critical of Marxist theories.
tators so that all members of a group have the He claimed that Marxism was seriously flawed
right to be heard and the responsibility to listen. because it sought to redress the inequality
Through the group experience. sociometric con- of social-emotional relationships through an
nections of group members are explored and attempt to redistribute wealth. According to
clarified. Moreno, wealth was merely a symptom of the
In a group context, sociometry is the attrac- underlying sociometric relationships of individ-
tion. rejection and neutral patterns among group uals. While the choices of group members are
members in regard to a specific set of criteria often based upon group or individual values (real
( Hale, I 981 ). A sociometric investigation can or perceived), sociometry itself is value-free.
be formal (with stated criteria and written re- Sociometry is not a popularity contest, but a
sponses) or informal (with the sociometrist rely- reflection of the actual choices that group mem-
ing upon verbal and nonverbal interaction pat- bers make in the course of their daily activities.
terns to reveal the choice patterns of a group). A person might wish to be a rejection star, a
Typical examples of formal sociometric ques- positive star, neutral or even an isolate in a
tions asked of group members are: "With whom group, depending upon the members of the group
would you most like to go to a social activity and their expressed values. In administering
(e.g., dance, bowling, lunch, movies)?" "With sociometries to group members it is often useful
whom would you most like to participate in a to provide examples of a positive sociometric
work activity (e.g., class project, oral presenta- star (e.g., Adolph Hitler in Nazi Germany) and a
tion, writing project, conducting a group, clean- negative star (Jesus Christ in Jerusalem) from
ing up the dayroom, etc.)?" To obtain the rejec- other systems which dispel the notion of soci-
tion patterns, the word "least" is substituted for ometry as a popularity contest. Within a clinical
"most ... e.g., "With whom would you least like setting, a positive star among a patient group in
to go to lunch?" an institutional setting might be a patient who is
In a therapy group, sociometric questions are cooperative with the staff and institutionalized,
often based upon therapeutic concerns. Such while the negative star may be actively resisting
questions might include: "To whom do you go institutionalization.
when you wish to discuss a personal problem?" While the sociometries are value-free (one can
"With whom would you most like to work on an neither assign a positive nor a negative label to an
art project?" "With whom would you least like individual's position without investigating fur-
to spend leisure time?" The group therapist can ther the group processes and norms), isolates are
better understand the dynamics of the group seen as withdrawn and potentially disturbed indi-
through reviewing the attraction, rejection and viduals. Isolates are people who neither make
neutral patterns among group members. nor receive any choices on a variety of criteria.
The choice patterns of group members are Such individuals are isolated from others and re-
charted using a "sociogram" which diagrams the treat to worlds of make-believe and fantasy. By
attraction and rejection patterns among group and large the homeless who are wandering the
members. Generally, there are sociometric at- streets of our cities are isolates. The homeless
158 DALE RICHARD BUCHANA!',;

neither give nor receive choices: they are article the intricacies of sociometric process as it
the ghosts of our interpersonal landscapes- is applied in clinical therapy group settings, and
abandoned souls. rather than abandoned buildings. readers are encouraged to explore this area fur-
An important therapeutic component of all ther through readings by Hale ( I 98 I), Hollander
groups is the incorporation of isolates. These in- ( 1974). Jennings ( 1950). Moreno ( 1943, 1949.
dividuals often sit by themselves, rarely initiating 195 I, 1956) and Northway ( 1952).
conversations and only speaking when spoken In brief. sociometry is the measurement. ob-
to. The therapist can ask the isolates sociometric servation and intervention of the natural attrac-
questions which can later be implemented. For tion/rejection processes within groups. Like
example. an isolate might say that she would like Freud's recapitulation theory, we find that indi-
to spend leisure time with Ms. Jones. The group viduals often repeat their sociometric pattern in a
leader can pair Ms. Jones with the isolate during variety of groups. It is not unusual to find that a
leisure time. which may be the beginning of an person who is an attraction star in one group is
interpersonal relationship. Isolates are often so highly chosen in other groups. This person has
withdrawn that they can no longer initiate rela- learned to project and use interpersonal skills in
tionships. but they are often willing to recipro- communicating 'with other group members.
cate a relationship provided another individual Likewise, rejection stars in one group are often
makes the first move. Isolates can also be en- rejection stars in other groups. These individuals
couraged to express their thoughts and feelings have not learned how to express themselves and/
by having the isolates' chosen partners initiate or relate to other group members. Their interper-
the activity or conversation. Mr. A. might be re- sonal messages are often distorted, confused.
luctant to engage in an art therapy activity when neglected or misinterpreted by other group mem-
the art therapist requests him to participate, but bers. The sociometrist focuses on the here-and-
he might be more eager to participate if he was now to illuminate group processes and/or help
paired with Mr. S. Thus the group leader can use members change their interpersonal relationships
the attraction patterns of the group (]earned from and choice patterns to reflect their wishes and
the sociogram) to further therapeutic encounters. dreams more accurately.
Through psychodramatic and sociodramatic
enactment (using any component [art, dance,
SOCIAL ATOM
drama, mime, music, poetry, etc.] to move a
group or person from talking about something to The sociometry of one individual is called the
.. doing it"), sociometric structures of individuals social atom, the perceived relationships with
and groups are examined. Mixed communication others which provide the basic building blocks
messages and distortions in transference and and reinforcement systems of the person's actual
countertransference are clarified. An attempt is interpersonal relationships. Social atom mem-
made to democratize the group process so that bers often include. but are not limited to. par-
each individual can experience his own sponta- ents. peers, siblings, mentors, spouses. children.
neity and creativity. While sociometric investi- neighbors, employers, co-workers, teachers, lov-
gations and experimentation were prevalent dur- ers, enemies and family network members. Thus,
ing the 40s and 50s, there now appears to be a every individual lives in a social atom from the
decrease in the interest in sociometry on the part moment of birth. Within each of these relation-
of mental health workers. However, a growing ships, the person may have positive, negative or
trend towards networking and family therapy neutral feelings. It is the person's perceptions
(family processes) demonstrates that mental of these social atom members which provide the
health professionals still recognize the necessity feedback loop for self-concept and behavior pat-
of intervening with the entire social atom of the terns. Naturally. those the person perceives as
individual and not just the identified patient being the closest and most influential will exert
(Compernolle, 1981). Mendelson (1976) feels that greater influence on his or her life than persons
it is the sociometric tools which are utilized and ~vho are on the fringes of the client's social atom.
that the philosophy has been lost. In this context. it is important to remember
Limitations of space prevent explaining in this that the social atom is the person· s perception of
 SOCIAL ATOM 159

his or her interpersonal relationships and not the Naturally, instructions and care in administration
actual relationships. The healthier individual will of the instrument need to be modified for the
have greater congruence between his or her per- specific patient population.
ceptions and others· perceptions. A common ex- The first step in exploring the person·s social
ample of distorted perception is that of an addic- atom is to state the purpose of the exercise and to
tive client. The client may have lost 100 pounds provide clear, concise instructions on completing
or stopped abusing drugs, but, nevertheless, may the social atom inventory.
feel and perceive himself/herself as fat or
an alcoholic. These perceptions exist, in part, Introduction
because the perceptions in the social atom are The therapist begins by explaining the purpose
unchanged. He still remembers his classmates of the social atom. The following is one way to do
calling him --Tubby," or she still hears her hus- so. "You are not alone. Each of us lives in this
band·s voice calling her a ''lush.·· world surrounded by our mothers/fathers/
For example, there was a group member who enemies/lovers and strangers. I would like you to
was extremely well-liked, personable, bright and take a minute to think about the people in your
friendly, but who consistently failed at most en- life who are important to you. Think about those
deavors. The other group members would pro- people who are so important to you that you
vide positive reinforcement to this person on his often think about them. These people may also
successes and popularity. He would be tempo- influence your thoughts and behaviors. You may
rarily buoyed by those responses, only to sink have positive, negative or neutral feelings
into a deeper depression. In his social atom, towards these other people. They may be dead or
all other family members were bright, outgoing, alive. real or imagined." Time should be given so
friendly and successful. He was the outcast of that patients can ask questions or clarify the pur-
the family. Nothing he ever did compared to his pose of the exercise before beginning.
successful siblings. His teachers also said he was
above average, but not what they expected from Written lnsrructions
dealing with his superior siblings. Thus the client In conducting a written social atom inventory
carried around a telescoped world in which he the patient is provided with a blank sheet
would continually fail. The client would then of paper. The written exercise consists of the pa-
relapse to a self-fulfilling prophecy of giving up tient drawing symbols for self and the important
because in his own view he could never live up to people in his life. Triangles (6) are used to repre-
his family's expectations. In this case, while sent men, and circles (0) for women. Identifiers
behavior change is paramount, there needs to be (first names, initials or roles, e.g., Cheryl, CRB
a shift in the individual's perceptions of himself. or youngest sister) should be placed with the
symbols so that the patient and the therapist can
Social Atom fm·entory identify these individuals later. For the written
exercise the patient may make the triangles or
There are several popular ways in which
circles larger, smaller or the same size as their
people"s social atoms can be explored. The most
symbol. Some therapists supply the patient with
traditional method is to have the person draw his
a set of colored pencils for the exercise, while
social atom on paper. However, social atoms
other therapists have the patient draw connecting
may also be enacted in group settings, with other
lines between the social atom figures with
group members portraying the roles of social
straight lines symbolizing positive feeling and
atom figures. Some individuals have used toys as
dotted lines symbolizing negative feelings.
symbols for social atom figures. At the present
time there is no one right way for the collection
SOCIODRAMATIC ENACTMENT
of social atom information. Social atoms have
been used with a variety of populations from In the group context the patient can be asked
normal to mentally retarded, and the full range of to stand in the middle of the room and choose
psychiatric disorders. Social atoms have also other group members to represent persons in his
been administered in school systems and prisons. social atom. For example, the patient may ask
l60 DALE RICHARD BUCHANAN

Fig. l

one group member to be his father and then place

the father somewhere in the room. The patient
may choose to place the father close to him or in
a distant corner. The assignment of group mem-
bers to enact the social atom often has the added
Fig. 2
advantage of clarifying transference issues be-
tween group members. Similarly, the therapist
must take care to "derole .. * the group member whom do you have the most unfinished business? ..
from the role following the social atom exercise ·•with whom do you most wish you could change
or the patient may transfer his feelings towards your relationship?" "Who is the person(s) who
his father to the group member who played the gives you the most love and respect?" "Who is
role of his father. Family sculpting exercises can the person you are most like'?" "Who is the per-
also be used by asking the patient to .. mold .. the son who is a role model for you') ..
social atom figure into a typical expression. Whether the exercise is conducted on paper or
Mother may be standing with her arms open, enacted in the group context, the therapist can
smiling, while father may have his back to the ask the patient to reverse roles with the social
patient. atom figure and speak as that person. When the
After the social atom has been drawn or en- patient is in the role of the social atom figure (as,
acted, the therapist will want to obtain other for example, wife), the therapist or other group
information about the individuals who inhabit the members can ask the ·•wife .. questions about her
patient's social atom. One of the most frequently relationship with her husband. The patient, in the
asked questions is which members of the social role of his wife, responds.
atom are alive. The therapist might also want to
know the extent of daily contact that the patient
E.rnmple One
has with these social atom figures. Of course, the
therapist would also want to know which people Figure 1 is a social atom completed by a male
provide the most support, and which people patient enrolled in an alcoholism treatment pro-
cause the most tensioniconflict with the patient. gram. Figure 2 is a social atom taken from the
Other exploratory questions include: "With same patient one month later. In the first social
*To help the person make the transition from playing a role back to a group member. Sometimes peopk are assigned or volunteer
to play a powerful role in a psychodrama. The group needs to think of the person as himself and not to continue to identify the
person with the role. Exam pk: A person of German ancestry is chosen to play the rok of Adolph Hitler. The person plays the role
well and. after the role. is not deroled-given a chance to separate himself from that role. The group members still reject him and
relate to him negatively as Hitler and not as his true self.
 SOCIAL ATOM 161

atom the patient ranked the importance of the at Saint Elizabeths Hospital by court order of not
people as: 1 = friend. 2 = alcoholism treatment guilty by reason of insanity. Figure 3 shows that
program. 3 = prison. 4 = sister. 5 = brother. 6 = he drew himself as a small "me" inside a circle of
A.A .. 7 = niece. 8 = cousin. 9 = old friend. 10 = women. The therapist. who is a female, worked
mother. 11 = father. and 12 = girlfriend. ln the with the patient on issues of positive self-esteem.
second social atom the importance of the people power issues with women and developing func-
had shifted so that: 1 = mother, 2 = father. 3 = tional relationships with members of his imme-
niece. 4 = friend, 5 = A.A .. 6 = girlfriend. 7 = diate family. Six months later the patient was
brother. 8 = church. 9 =sister.and 10 = alcohol- asked to draw his social atom again.
ism treatment program. In Fig. 4, specific individuals are now identi-
During the one-month period, there were three fied. Mother and sisters are identified, and the
deletions-prison. cousin and old friend. ln patient drew plusses (-'-) beside them to indicate
terms of sobriety, two of these are major ele- his positive feelings toward them. Other women
ments. One is the prison where the patient once ( +) are also identified as positive. but all female
spent time, and the other was an old friend who figures continue to be drawn on the outer circle.
contributed to alcoholism. All were seen as Inside the circle with the patient (-) are his
either negative (prison, old friend) or neutral father ( +). brother ( +) and other men ( + ). Dur-
(cousin) in maintaining his sobriety. Both nega- ing the next treatment period (five months) the
tive figures are now absent from his social atom. patient explored the same themes, but with the
This is not to say that they are forgotten, but added goal of expressing emotions (particularly
apparently they are no longer as important to the anger) without antisocial behavior toward these
individual. There has been an addition of church and other family members.
which is viewed by the patient as supporting his ln the final social atom (Fig. 5). seven individ-
sobriety. uals are identified and there are no general refer-
There is also a rearrangement of the persons ences to men or women. The patient now identi-
who are the most important to the patient. fied all persons inside the circle as positive.
Mother. father and niece have now replaced Some persons (mother and a sister) are identified
a friend, the alcohol treatment program, and as positive and negative, while one sister com-
prison. A.A .. which has increased in importance, pletely outside of the circle is identified as nega-
is probably illustrative of the patient's continued tive. The therapist used the social atom both
sobriety. His sister and brother have decreased diagnostically and as a planning guide for treat-
in importance and the patient has rated them as ment sessions. An initial goal of helping the
being of less help to him in maintaining his patient to develop stronger ego boundaries and
sobriety than his mother, niece. close friend and identify specific persons of support or conflict
lover. The girlfriend has increased in significance has been completed. The current goal is for inte-
and the patient indicates in the written record gration of the previous therapy and an expansion
·that he is now seeing his girlfriend more than of the patient's role repertoire to develop closer
during the previous month. The patient also indi- relationships with members of his family and new
cates that his father is now more important than relationships with others.
on the first social atom. The patient's father is
deceased and the patient has been discussing his Group Example
father· s relationship to him in therapy. His father
Jim selected group members to be his social
was an alcoholic too and the patient perceives his
atom figures during a psychodrama session. He
deceased father as supporting his sobriety. chose other group members to play the role of his
E.w1111Jle Tll'o
wife, three children, father-in-law, mother-in-
law. best friend and mother. The psychodrama-
Figures 3, 4 and 5 were drawn by the same tist asked who his greatest source of comfort and
patient during an I l-month time period. The support was, and Jim named his wife. Asked to
same directions (as in example one) were given say something to his wife, Jim responded,
for drawing the social atom. The patient is a 44- "Thank you for being there and accepting me
year-old male committed to the forensic facility through thick and thin. I love you ... Jim was then
162 DALE RICHARD BuCHANAN

Fig . .;

Fig. 3

asked to role reverse and assume the role of his

wife. The person playing his wife then took the
role of Jim. Jim, as his wife. stated '·J love you
and know that you will be able to work things
through ... The psychodramatist then asked Jim
who his greatest source of tension was and Jim
replied that his mother was. Told to speak to his
mother, he asked, "'Why won·t you leave me
alone and let me grow up?" Jim then assumed
the role of his mother and responded by saying,
··why won't you just let me mother you? .. Thus,
in a matter of a few minutes Jim·s source of sup-
port and his primary interpersonal tension were
outlined. It was also no coincidence that he
chose a group member who was very supportive
to play his wife and a group member with whom
he often disagreed to play his mother.

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

While various authors (Allen, 1978; Nash &
Pollin, 1983; Taylor. 1977) have speculated on
the significance of the drawing of the social atom,
to date there have been no empirical studies
which have identified major differences in social
atom drawings. Psychodramatists contend that
individuals with few persons in their social atom Fig. 5
 SOCIAL ATOM 163

are more vulnerable to changes in their social abusive father's actions could be perceived as a
networks than persons with larger social atoms. response to unemployment rather than to the pa-
Some psychodramatists also believe that a client tient's behavior.
who places others directly above his own figure The social atom is an important clinical tool
feels subservient to those individuals and, con- that can be used in individual as well as group
versely, those individuals placed beneath the practice. The social atom also provides focusing
client are seen as inferior. Taylor (I 977) has for the patient and will often help in delineating
speculated that persons in the clockwise posi- treatment goals. It can also provide a barometer
tions ( I to 6) represent individuals with whom of the progress of therapy. If therapy is progress-
there are more open tensions and/or represent ing and the patient is changing, there should be
new persons to the social atom, while those per- a concomitant change in the patient's social
sons at the 12 o'clock position represent individ- atom. New individuals may enter the client's life
uals who are leaving the person's life. Individuals (a prospective mate, new friends, etc.), while
drawn closest to the subject are usually spouses. previous dominant relationships (dead parents)
The projective nature of the drawings often may move to the background. The patient's per-
stimulates numerous speculations which are best ceived feelings about himself and others will also
tested by directly asking the client about his own change. Additionally, the social atom can also
interpretation. For example, it is not unusual for point to tension systems and unresolved inter-
psychotic patients to embellish the circles and personal conflicts, which can be a focus in fur-
triangles. One patient put wings on dead persons' ther therapy sessions.
symbols (his comment was that they were flying Social atoms can be collected with a group of
to heaven), while others have used dotted lines in patients in twenty minutes or one-to-one with a
drawing a circle or triangle to indicate that a per- fuller exploration of perceptions in approximate-
son is mentally ill (e.g., going to pieces). Others ly fifty minutes. Numerous clinicians who have
have used symbols (such as crosses, swastikas, used the social atom technique have marvelled at
stars, etc.) for the individuals instead of or in how quickly they are able to enter their patients'
addition to circles and triangles. In general, it is world via the use of the Social Atom Inventory.
best simply to repeat the instructions to the pa- In summary, the Social Atom Inventory is an
tients and allow them to use whatever creativity interpersonal projective technique which can be
they wish in drawing their own social atom. After used for diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of
the patients have completed the drawings, the patient progress.
clinician can ask what the symbols mean.
The reliability and validity of the social atom REFERENCES
have never been established. One of the major
difficulties in establishing validity and reliability ALLEN. S. (1978) Exploru1io11 of 1hc social a10111. Unpub-
lished research project, Washington, DC: Saint Elizabeths
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