The study explores the distinctive formal characteristics of family drawings by orphaned children and children deprived of family support who reside in alternative care institutions. It seeks to uncover their linear representations and personal projections through a comparative analysis with children living in family environments closer to the natural familial model. The experimental method was adopted, utilizing content analysis grids and content decoding based on the statistical data obtained.

The findings revealed unique characteristics in the family drawings of children deprived of family support. These differences were observed in the elements used in the drawings, the presence or absence of the child’s representation in the drawing, the depicted characters, the elements included, and the quality of lines and colors employed across the two samples.