This test is built on the real method of Karl Koch, the Baumtest (tree test), published in German in 1949. Koch built on the work of Swiss vocational counselor Emil Jucker, who in the 1920s already used tree drawings in career guidance work, and systematized the idea by applying handwriting-analysis principles to the parts of the tree: trunk, canopy, branches, roots.
The original instruction: "Draw a fruit tree." Koch considered the tree an especially stable symbol of body image and inner life, with the advantage that, not being a person, it would allow projecting content with less conscious censorship than a direct self-portrait.
How the report works
It uses 9 indicators: 4 are measured directly from your canvas (size, placement, thickness, shading) and 5 depend on you telling us what you drew (roots, canopy, branches, fruit, trunk shape). The tree test has something particular going for it: recent clinical studies (2015 and 2025) found that objective, quantified measures, like the size of the tree relative to the page, do distinguish, with real data, patients with cognitive decline or suicide ideation risk. That's not the same as saying the tree reveals general personality traits, and this report explains that difference clearly.
A canvas drawn with a mouse will never capture the nuance of a pencil stroke, but it does capture magnitudes (size, position, thickness), which is exactly what we measure. We don't claim diagnostic precision, and neither does the original test.
Sources
- Koch, K. (1949). Der Baumtest: Der Baumzeichenversuch als psychodiagnostisches Hilfsmittel. Verlag Hans Huber.
- Stanzani Maserati, M., Matacena, C., Sambati, L., Oppi, F., Poda, R., De Matteis, M., & Gallassi, R. (2015). The Tree-Drawing Test (Koch's Baum Test): A useful aid to diagnose cognitive impairment. Behavioural Neurology, 2015, 534681.
- Zhang, Y., Liu, Y., Liu, W., Sun, L., Leng, F., Li, Z., & Liu, G. (2025). Validity of the Tree Drawing Test Suicide Ideation Assessment Scale in adolescents. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 16, 1701452.
- Kahill, S. (1984). Human figure drawing in adults: An update of the empirical evidence, 1967-1982. Canadian Psychology, 25, 269-292.
All possible results
Your tree drawing report
Nine real indicators from Koch's method, each connected to what you drew: what he claimed about that specific value, and what the scientific evidence says today, including recent studies on questions very different from what Koch had in mind.
Read more about Your tree drawing report
Karl Koch published the Baumtest in 1949. The symbolic interpretation of each part of the tree has barely any supporting studies; the only part with something real behind it is objective measurements of the drawing itself, applied to very specific clinical questions (cognitive decline, suicide risk), not to general personality. This report exists to show that difference clearly, not to diagnose you with anything.
Frequently asked questions
Is this test a psychological diagnosis?
No, not in any way. Even the original Koch test, applied by a trained clinician, isn't considered a reliable standalone diagnostic tool today. This report is informational: it shows the real method alongside the real scientific evidence about its validity.
Is it true that recent studies support something about this test?
Yes, but with important caveats. A 2015 study found that the size of the tree relative to the page distinguishes patients with cognitive decline from healthy people, and a 2025 study found that a scale derived from the drawing can help detect suicide ideation risk in adolescents. Neither supports the classic symbolic interpretation (what each branch or root supposedly means) that Koch popularized.
Can this test detect cognitive decline or suicide risk?
No. The studies that found something real used specific scoring scales, applied by professionals, in specific clinical populations. Our test is informational and doesn't replace any real clinical assessment.
Can I retake the test?
Yes, as many times as you like. We don't save your drawing or your previous answers.
Is it free?
Yes, it's completely free: no sign-up or payment needed to take the test and see your result.
How long does the test take? How many questions does it have?
You draw a tree, then answer 5 short questions about your drawing. About 3-4 minutes in total.