A direct positive photosensitive material composed of a support having thereon at least one photosensitive emulsion layer comprising non-prefogged internal latent image silver halide grains and at least one compound represented by formulae (I), (II), (III) or (IV): ##STR1## wherein M.sub.1 represents hydrogen, a cation or a protective group capable of being cleaved by an alkali; and Z represents an atomic group necessary for forming a 5-membered or 6-membered substituted or unsubstituted ring selected from a heterocyclic ring and a condensed heterocyclic ring; ##STR2## wherein Z.sub.1 represents an alkyl group containing from 1 to 18 carbon atoms, an aryl group containing from 6 to 18 carbon atoms or a heterocyclic group; Y.sub.1 and Y.sub.2, which may be the same or different, each represents an atomic group necessary for forming an aromatic ring containing from 6 to 18 carbon atoms or a heterocyclic ring; M represents a metal atom or an organic cation; and n is an integer of 2 to 10.