College students, particularly freshmen and medical students, often experience high stress levels due to academic pressures and environmental changes. Existing stress reduction methods for Chinese college students primarily involve music therapy and physical exercise, with limited research on art-based interventions beyond mandala painting. This study aimed to explore the stress-reducing potential of a broader art-making program, informed by Fredrickson's broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. This theory posits that positive emotions broaden an individual's cognitive and behavioral repertoire, building enduring personal resources and enhancing well-being. The researchers hypothesized that engaging in art-making would foster positive emotions, leading to reduced stress levels in college students. The study reviewed existing literature supporting the use of art-based therapies, including coloring therapy, clay work, and drawing, in reducing anxiety and improving mental well-being. These studies highlighted the non-verbal nature of art-making as a means of expressing emotions and promoting relaxation. The current study sought to expand upon this research by employing a multi-faceted art-making intervention and rigorously evaluating its effectiveness.

The literature review extensively examined the prevalence of stress among college students, particularly in China, citing studies indicating high levels of psychological stress among undergraduates. The review also explored the existing literature on art-based interventions for stress relief, focusing on the use of mandala painting, coloring therapy, and clay work. Studies were cited showing the effectiveness of these methods in reducing anxiety and improving mental well-being. The review highlighted the unique benefits of art-making as a non-verbal means of emotional expression and a tool for promoting relaxation and concentration. The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions was introduced as a theoretical framework for understanding the potential mechanisms through which art-making could reduce stress. The theory suggests that positive emotions broaden an individual's cognitive and behavioral repertoire, leading to the development of personal resources and enhanced well-being. The review also considered the limitations of existing research on art-based interventions for stress reduction, noting the need for more comprehensive studies with diverse art forms and larger sample sizes.

Ninety college students (45 male, 45 female) were recruited and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=45) or a control group (n=45). The study employed a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was used to assess stress levels before, immediately after (week 4), and four weeks after the intervention (week 8). The experimental group participated in a four-week art-making intervention, consisting of four 2.5-hour sessions focused on clay modeling, decoration, bookmark making, and canvas bag painting. The activities were designed to promote concentration, emotional expression, and relaxation. The control group received no intervention. Data analysis involved independent samples t-tests to compare stress levels between groups at each assessment point and repeated-measures ANOVA to analyze changes in stress levels within each group over time. In addition to quantitative data from the PSS, the study collected qualitative data through interviews with participants in the experimental group to gather subjective feedback on their experiences with the art-making intervention.

Baseline characteristics showed no significant differences between the experimental and control groups in age, gender, or major. Pre-intervention PSS scores also showed no significant difference between the two groups. However, significant differences emerged in post-test (week 4) and follow-up (week 8) assessments. At week 4, the experimental group showed significantly lower scores on stress perception and tension compared to the control group (p<0.01 for both). At week 8, these significant differences between the groups persisted (p<0.05 for stress perception, p<0.01 for tension). Repeated-measures ANOVA indicated significant within-group changes in stress perception and tension in the experimental group over time, but not in the control group. Qualitative data from interviews revealed that participants in the experimental group reported feeling calmer, more focused, and experiencing a sense of community through the art-making activities. They described the art-making process as a way to escape distressing thoughts and emotions. The qualitative data provided a deeper understanding of the mechanisms through which art-making may have produced its stress-relieving effects, supporting the broaden-and-build theory.

The findings strongly support the hypothesis that art-making can significantly reduce stress levels in college students. The significant reductions in stress perception and tension observed in the experimental group, compared to the control group, demonstrate the effectiveness of the intervention. The persistent effects observed at the follow-up assessment suggest that the benefits of art-making may extend beyond the duration of the intervention. The study's findings align with the broaden-and-build theory, suggesting that the positive emotions experienced during art-making may have broadened participants' cognitive and behavioral repertoires, leading to a more resilient response to stress. The qualitative data provides rich contextual information enriching the quantitative findings. These results contribute valuable evidence to the growing body of literature supporting the use of art-based interventions in promoting mental health and well-being among college students. The study suggests that incorporating art-making programs into college curricula may be a beneficial approach for addressing the high levels of stress experienced by students.

This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a four-week art-making intervention in reducing stress levels among college students. The results support the use of art-making as a valuable tool for promoting mental well-being. Future research could explore the long-term effects of art-making interventions, investigate the optimal duration and intensity of such interventions, and examine the effectiveness of art-making across different student populations and types of stressors.

The study's limitations include the relatively small sample size and the fact that participants were drawn from a single medical college, potentially limiting the generalizability of the findings. Future studies should include a larger, more diverse sample from various college settings. The study also focused solely on stress reduction; future work could investigate the broader impact of art-making on other aspects of mental well-being, such as self-esteem and social connectedness. There was some imbalance in the final numbers of participants in each group; this could be improved upon in future iterations of the study.