Art Therapy vs Cognitive

Behavioral Therapy
Research Problem
• I am studying the comparative effects of cognitive behavioral therapy
and art therapy, specifically mandala themed adult coloring books, on
anxiety levels in modern day United States college aged adults,
because I want to know if adult coloring books are viable therapeutic
alternatives in the treatment of general anxiety disorder in order to
provide mental health professionals and anxiety sufferers with non-
medicinal treatments to the illness.
• Disciplines: Psychology, Art
Hypothesis
• CBT is not enough to meet the needs of patients, and the interactivity
and meditative nature of coloring therapy would better suit the needs
of a wider range of patients if it was implemented by professionals.
 Anxiety
• Surpassed depression as most prevalent among college students
• On avg., up to 40% of patients experience treatment resistant anxiety
(Brown, J. 2016)
(LeViness, P., Bershad, C., & Gorman, K., 2017)

Bystritsky, A. (2006). Treatment-resistant anxiety disorders. Molecular Psychiatry. 11. 805–814. doi:10.1038/sj.mp.4001852
 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• A method which uses cognitive,
behavioral, and emotion-focused
techniques to challenge the
validity of toxic and maladaptive
behaviors caused by mental
illness
• Most studied form of
psychological treatment

Hofmann, S., Asnaani, A., Imke, V., Sawyer, A., & Fang, A., (2012). The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Review of Meta-analyses. Cognit Ther Res. 36(5): 427–440. doi:10.1007/s10608-
012-9476-1
 Mandalas
• Coloring therapy combines art therapy
and meditation
• Mandalas in particular are
“symmetrical figures that have long
been used as meditative objects in
spiritual traditions”

(Simple Mandala, n.d.)

Curry, N., & Kasser, T. (2005). Can Coloring Mandalas Reduce Anxiety?, Art Therapy, 22(2), 81-85, DOI: 10.1080/07421656.2005.10129441
So What?
• Not many studies have been done to compare different therapeutic
methods to CBT despite the fact that no one treatment can effectively
treat all patients. Anxiety presents itself differently in different people
and therefore requires a wider range of options for treatment.
Citations
Brown, J. (2016). Anxiety: The Most Common Mental Health Diagnosis in College Students. Retrieved from the BU Today website:
http://www.bu.edu/today/2016/college-students-anxiety-and-depression/

Bystritsky, A. (2006). Treatment-resistant anxiety disorders. Molecular Psychiatry. 11. 805–814. doi:10.1038/sj.mp.4001852

Curry, N., & Kasser, T. (2005). Can Coloring Mandalas Reduce Anxiety?, Art Therapy, 22(2), 81-85, DOI:
10.1080/07421656.2005.10129441

Hofmann, S., Asnaani, A., Imke, V., Sawyer, A., & Fang, A., (2012). The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Review of Meta-
analyses. Cognit Ther Res. 36(5): 427–440. doi:10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1

LeViness, P., Bershad, C., & Gorman, K., (2017). The Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors Annual
Survey. Retrieved from the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors website:
https://www.aucccd.org/assets/documents/Governance/2017%20aucccd%20survey-public-apr26.pdf