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Art Therapist-Facilitated Open Studio Versus Coloring: Differences in Outcomes of Affect, Stress, Creative Agency, and Self-Efficacy
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Art Therapist-Facilitated Open Studio Versus Coloring: Differences in Outcomes of Affect, Stress, Creative Agency, and Self-Efficacy

Girija Kaimal, Janell L. Mensinger, Jessica M. Drass and Rebekka M. Dieterich-Hartwell
Canadian Art Therapy Association journal, v 30(2), pp 56-68
03 Jul 2017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08322473.2017.1375827
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https://doi.org/10.1080/08322473.2017.1375827View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)CC BY-NC-ND V4.0,  Open

Abstract

Background: Coloring books for adults have become a ubiquitous presence in retail outlets worldwide and in the visual cultural landscape. The goal of this study was to determine differences in outcomes between art therapist-facilitated open studio and individual coloring. Methods: The study used a within-subjects experimental design. Healthy adult participants (aged 19-67 years) were invited to engage in one session each of individual coloring, and open studio facilitated by an art therapist. A total of 36 participants enrolled in the study; 29 completed pre- and post-surveys for both conditions. Outcomes measured included positive and negative affect, perceived stress, self-efficacy, and creative agency. Results: The art therapist-facilitated open studio condition resulted in superior improvements in positive affect, creative agency, and self-efficacy compared to the coloring condition. Both conditions resulted in lowered stress and reduced negative affect. Discussion and implications: The results indicated that coloring might have therapeutic benefits on distress; however, only the art therapist-facilitated open studio session showed significant improvements in self-efficacy, self-perceptions of creativity, and positive mood. Art therapists might consider using the phenomenon of coloring as a doorway to art therapy and more spontaneous creative and self-expression for transformative change. Future studies should seek to identify the unique mechanism of change through which art therapist-facilitated art making explains the shifts in positive affect, creative agency, and self-efficacy.

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