Assessing the stress-relief impact of an art-based intervention inspired by the broaden-and-build theory in college students

Background and objectives: This study's primary objective is to investigate the impact of art-making on the mental well-being of college students, who often experience heightened stress during their initial university years. Methods: Employing a comprehensive methodology, combining interviews and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the research aimed to assess whether a four-week art-making intervention can effectively alleviate stress levels among college students. In the experimental group, participants engaged in a variety of art-making activities, including freehand drawing, clay modeling, and crafting. Results: The results revealed that, in the pre-test, there were no significant differences between the experimental and control groups for each assessed indicator. However, in the post-test, significant differences emerged across all indicators. Further analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in stress perception among the experimental group participants between the pre-test and post-test phases. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study provides compelling evidence that art-making has the potential to foster positive personal development and significantly reduce stress levels among college students.

Chen Liu, Yuan Xie, Yiwen Xu, Zhenhai Song, Jiayi Tang, Junjie Shen, Zhou Jiang, Chao Shen, Xingya Zhan, Chu Zheng