Which assessment uses stories to reveal a client's unconscious desires?

• A. Thematic Apperception Test
• B. Rorschach Inkblot Test
• C. Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale
• D. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Answer: (A)

Uncovering unconscious desires through projective storytelling is what this item is getting at. Thematic Apperception Test uses ambiguous pictures and asks the client to tell a story about each scene. The narratives reveal underlying motives, needs, conflicts, and feelings that the person may not express directly. By looking for recurring themes across stories—such as a drive for achievement, a need for affiliation, or fears about dominance—the clinician can infer unconscious motivations and relational patterns.

Rorschach focuses on interpreting responses to inkblots, which taps perceptual processes and aspects of personality, but it’s not centered on constructing narratives about scenes. Stanford-Binet measures cognitive abilities and intelligence, not unconscious desires. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is a theoretical framework about motivation, not an assessment tool used to uncover hidden motives.