Color preference of DSM-III-R bipolars and normal controls

The value of color preference as a diagnostic sign was examined by comparing the data of patients experiencing mania or schizophrenia, and normal controls. The rank-order of preference for 8 color cards (blue, green, red, yellow, purple, brown, black, and grey) was determined for a group of 14 bipolar patients (diagnosed by DSM-III-R) all of whom currently showed manic symptoms and who also fulfilled the ICD-9 criteria for affective psychosis. The same data were obtained from 20 ICD-9 patients with schizophrenia and from 29 normal controls (factory workers and psychiatric nurses). The analyses of variance showed no significant differences (p > .05) between the 3 groups with respect to preference for any of the 8 colors. Clinicians are cautioned against the use of Luescher’s Color Test as a diagnostic tool.