README

DESCRIPTION:

This is a relatively quick-and-dirty script to create a structural
summary from a score sheet for a Rorschach ink-blot test using Exner's
"Comprehensive System". The input is a score sheet as a tab-delimited
text file (which can be created by Excel or any other spreadsheet
program) with one response per line. The output is a structural
summary  worksheet as a plain text file. For examples, see the
XXinput.txt and XXoutput-expected.txt files in the t/data directory.

USAGE:

Invoke the program as:

    rorschach.pl 01input.txt > 01output.txt

The input file can optionally start with a header line,  which must start
with the word "card" (case insensitive) in the first column. If the first
line doesn't start with "card", it's assumed that there's no header line,
and the first line is assumed to be the first response.

The first response for each card must have the card number in upper-case
roman numerals (i.e. I, II, III, IV, etc.) or Hindu-Arabic numerals (i.e.
1, 2, 3, 4, etc.). Subsequent responses for the same card can leave the
card number blank, or can repeat the same card number.

If the header line exists, and the second field of the header starts with
"resp" (case insensitive), then the second field is assumed to be the
response number. If there's no header line, or there is one but the
second field doesn't start with "resp", then there is assumed not to be
a response number column.

The input fields are assumed to be:
* Card number
* Response number (optional)
* Location and DQ
* Location number (not used)
* Determinant(s) and FQ
* (2)
* Content(s)
* Pop
* Z-score
* Special Scores

The algorithms were based on verbal descriptions of Exner's Comprehensive
System, as described in Exner, 2003, and on brief reading of a few
examples in the corresponding workbook, Exner, 2001.

SEE ALSO:

A similar service is offered by http://www.virtualpsychology.com/, but
theirs is on-line only, using a web interface to enter the data, and
requires signing up for an account. As far as I can tell their code is
not open source. Theirs also does more detailed validation of the codes
against each other (checking to see if codes in different columns are
consistent with each other).

Another similar product is ROR-SCAN (http://ror-scan.com/index2.htm),
which is commercial shrink-wrap software, and has been around since 1988.
It costs over $500 (with a student discount), and is only available to
"qualified professionals" (including students supervised by a licensed
psychologist). ROR-SCAN apparently generates an entire written report,
assembling canned text based on the results of the test.

REFERENCES:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rorschach_test

Exner, J. E. Jr. (2003). /The Rorschach: A Comprehensive System/ (4th ed.).
Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
http://books.google.com/books?id=4F5qAAAAMAAJ

Exner, J. E. Jr. (2001). /A Rorschach Workbook for the Comprehensive System/,
(5th ed.). Asheville, NC: Rorschach Workshops.
http://books.google.com/books?id=LqQynQEACAAJ

"A Comprehensive System" is a registered trademark of Doris E. Exner.