The Influence of Art-Making on Negative Mood States in University Students

Crystal R. Drake¹, H. Russell Searight^1, and Kristina Olson-Pupek¹

¹Lake Superior State University

Cite this paper:
Crystal R. Drake, H. Russell Searight and Kristina Olson-Pupek. The Influence of Art-Making on Negative Mood States in University Students. American Journal of Applied Psychology. 2014; 2(3):69-72. doi: 10.12691/ajap-2-3-3

Abstract

This study examined the influence of art-making in a sample of 44 undergraduate students. Participants were randomly assigned to a control group or one of three art-making groups. Students in all groups completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Mini-POMS prior to and after a twenty minute participation in one of the four groups. Individuals in the art-making groups were randomly assigned to participate in coloring a pre-drawn mandala, a pre-drawn plaid design, or coloring free form on blank paper. There were significant reductions in negative mood states within each group, but there were no differences between the activities. In all of the groups, state anxiety declined significantly from pre- to post-test (p<.05). Participants in the plaid condition also exhibited significant reductions in depression (p<.03) and tension (p<.005). The findings suggest that coloring pre-drawn patterns may be useful as a stress reduction technique for university students.

Keywords:
art therapy jungian theory anxiety reduction

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