DONALD WINNICOTT’S SQUIGGLE GAME IN PSYCHODIAGNOSTIC AND PSYCHOCORRECTIVE PRACTICE: THEORY AND CONTEMPORARY APPROACHES

Abstract

The article presents a theoretical and methodological analysis of Donald Winnicott’s «Squiggle Game» and its contemporary modifications within psychodiagnostic and psychocorrective practice. The study systematizes key psychoanalytic concepts that constitute the theoretical foundation of the method, including the notions of therapeutic play, transitional object, and potential space. The Squiggle Game is defined as a universal art-therapeutic tool that integrates cognitive, emotional, and social dimensions of psychological functioning, facilitating the exploration of unconscious conflicts, affective tendencies, self-regulation mechanisms, and the development of symbolic thinking. Based on theoretical and empirical synthesis, three main vectors of the method’s application are identified: therapeutic, diagnostic, and developmental. The paper highlights the specific features of modern variations – M. Betensky’s «Blots and Doodles», R. Frenkel’s «Clay Doodles», L. Lowy’s «Group Doodles», and A. Kopytin’s «Doodles and Metamorphoses» – which differ in format but preserve a unified psychoanalytic logic. It is emphasized that the Doodle Play Technique performs diagnostic, therapeutic, communicative, and integrative functions, promoting empathy, emotional flexibility, creativity, and personal integrity. The method also serves as an effective medium for nonverbal expression and interpersonal understanding, bridging the gap between conscious and unconscious processes. Its application contributes to a deeper comprehension of individual psychological dynamics and supports holistic personality development. The findings substantiate the scientific and practical relevance of the method within contemporary integrative psychology, demonstrating its consistency with modern psychotherapeutic paradigms aimed at optimizing psycho-emotional functioning and enhancing adaptive personal potential.