Background: Adolescence is a critical psychosocial stage characterized by significant physical, cognitive, and emotional changes that shape personality development. This study aims to examine the personality traits of adolescents using the Bender Gestalt Test II (BGII) and to assess its effectiveness in identifying personality traits and structures during this developmental period.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study employed stratified random sampling to select 354 male and female students aged 12 to 19 from Jolfa, East Azerbaijan, Iran. The BGII served as the primary tool for assessing personality traits. To enhance the accuracy and validity of the findings, the short form of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) was administered concurrently as a complementary measure. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 13.0.
Results: Findings indicated that mean error scores on the BGII among adolescents significantly increased until age 15, decreased until age 18, and then increased again at age 19 (p = 0.001), reflecting developmental and identity transitions during adolescence. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated a good model fit (RMSEA = 0.03, GFI = 0.96, CFI = 0.97, p = 0.001), identifying five key factors: anxiety, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive traits, depression, and aggression. Sensitivity and specificity values indicated high accuracy for aggression (0.83, 0.83), depression (0.67, 0.78), and psychological weakness (0.71, 0.65). Significant correlations with schizophrenia (r = 0.44, p = 0.001) and psychological weakness (r = 0.33, p = 0.001) supported the convergent validity of the BGII. However, limitations were noted in assessing characteristics such as hysteria, hypochondriasis, hypomania, and social introversion, highlighting areas for further investigation.
Conclusion: The BGII is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing key personality traits in adolescents aged 12 to 19, including aggression, schizophrenia, anxiety, and depression. Variations in test performance correspond to the developmental changes typical of adolescence. Nevertheless, due to limitations in detecting certain traits such as hysteria and social introversion, it is recommended that the BGII be used in conjunction with other assessment tools to ensure comprehensive and accurate evaluation.