Study @ Colouring books may help reduce stress….
A new
study shows that while those adult coloring books can reduce stress, they're
still not art therapy.
Date | December
14, 2017
Source | Drexel
University
Summary | Many
adult coloring books claim to be art therapy and can reduce negative feelings,
but art therapists are significantly more impactful, a new study shows.
A
new study shows that while those adult coloring books can reduce stress,
they're still not art
therapy.
Often,
the now-ubiquitous adult coloring books will advertise themselves as "art
therapy." But actual art therapists contend that such a claim is misleading,
that true art therapy is about growth and relationships and not simply about
"feeling better."
In
light of that, Girija Kaimal, EdD, assistant professor in Drexel University's
College of Nursing and Health Professions led a study that shows that while
coloring alone does have some positive effect, it is not nearly as potent as
involving an art therapist.
"The
main takeaway is that coloring has some limited benefits like reducing stress
and negative mental states," Kaimal said. "But it does not shift
anything else of substance, develop relationships, nor result in any personal
development."
Kaimal
and her Canadian Art Therapy
Association Journal study co-authors -- Janell Mensinger, PhD,
associate research professor in Drexel's Dornsife School of Public Health, and
doctoral stduents Jessica Drass and Rebekka Dieterich-Hartwell -- ran two,
separate 40-minute exercises, one consisting of pure coloring and the other
involving direct input from an art therapist, to see if one of the other led to
significant differences in mood and stress levels.
"The
art therapists' open studio sessions resulted in more empowerment, creativity
and improved mood, which are significant for individuals striving to improve
their quality of life and make lasting change," Kaimal said.
Every
participant -- of which there were 29, ranging in age from 19 to 67 -- took
part in each exercise. In the pure coloring exercise, the participants colored
in a pattern or design. Although an art therapist was in the room, they did not
interact with the person coloring.
In
the other exercise, participants were put in an "open studio"
situation, where an art therapist was present and able to facilitate the
session, as well as provide guidance and support to process the experience and
artwork. The participants were able to make any type of art they wished,
whether it involved coloring, sketching, doodling, or working with modeling
clay. As the participants worked on their piece, the art therapists created art
as well, and were available to assist the participants if they asked for it.
Each
person took standardized surveys before and after their sessions that ranked
their stress levels and feelings.
Perceived
stress levels went down by at roughly the same levels for both exercises (10
percent for coloring; 14 percent for open studio). Negative mental states also
showed similar decreases in levels (roughly a 7 percent decrease for coloring;
6 percent for open studio).
But
while the coloring exercise didn't show significant changes for any other
effects, the participants displayed an approximate 7 percent increase in
self-efficacy, 4 percent increase in creative agency, and a 25 percent increase
in positive feelings after their art therapist-aided open studio sessions.
"Many
of the outcomes were enabled through the relational support from the art
therapist," Kaimal explained. "The art therapist-facilitated session
involves more interpersonal interaction, problem solving around creative
choices and expression, empowerment and perhaps more learning about the self
and others. That all contributes to the outcomes we saw."
So
while coloring did help alleviate bad feelings, it didn't create good feelings
in the way that actual art therapy might.
"Coloring
might allow for some reduction in distress or negativity, but since it is a
structured task, it might not allow for further creative expression, discovery
and exploration which we think is associated with the positive mood
improvements we saw in the open studio condition," Kaimal said.
Story
Source:
Materials provided by Drexel University.
Note: Content may be edited
for style and length.
Journal
Reference:
- Girija Kaimal, Janell L. Mensinger, Jessica M. Drass, Rebekka M. Dieterich-Hartwell. Art Therapist-Facilitated Open Studio Versus Coloring: Differences in Outcomes of Affect, Stress, Creative Agency, and Self-Efficacy (Studio ouvert animé par un art-thérapeute versus coloriage : différences de résultats su. Canadian Art Therapy Association Journal, 2017; 30 (2): 56 DOI: 10.1080/08322473.2017.1375827
Regards
Pralhad
Jadhav
Senior Manager @
Knowledge Repository
Khaitan &
Co
Twitter Handle | @Pralhad161978
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