Drawing and Anxiety Study

Description

Anxiety is among the most common emotional difficulties impacting well-being, highlighting the need for approachable anxiety-reduction tools. Both mindfulness and art-based interventions have been shown to decrease anxiety symptoms. These studies integrate these approaches via a novel guided drawing intervention, and tests effects on anxiety (pre/post drawing and at one-week follow-up) and physiological regulation (respiratory sinus arrhythmia). This registration includes two separate intervention studies with similar protocols but using different samples - one consisting of adolescents ages 13 to 17.9 years, and the other consisting of adults ages 18 to 25 years. Participants complete a laboratory visit during which they complete questionnaires about their emotions and anxiety, complete pre/post measures of cardiac physiology and state anxiety, and engage in a drawing session. Participants also complete a one-week follow-up self-report of anxiety symptoms. The intervention protocol is briefly described as follows: participants in each sample are randomly assigned to one of three groups (guided drawing, free drawing control, or basic control).

Conditions

Anxiety

Study Overview

Study Details

Study overview

Anxiety is among the most common emotional difficulties impacting well-being, highlighting the need for approachable anxiety-reduction tools. Both mindfulness and art-based interventions have been shown to decrease anxiety symptoms. These studies integrate these approaches via a novel guided drawing intervention, and tests effects on anxiety (pre/post drawing and at one-week follow-up) and physiological regulation (respiratory sinus arrhythmia). This registration includes two separate intervention studies with similar protocols but using different samples - one consisting of adolescents ages 13 to 17.9 years, and the other consisting of adults ages 18 to 25 years. Participants complete a laboratory visit during which they complete questionnaires about their emotions and anxiety, complete pre/post measures of cardiac physiology and state anxiety, and engage in a drawing session. Participants also complete a one-week follow-up self-report of anxiety symptoms. The intervention protocol is briefly described as follows: participants in each sample are randomly assigned to one of three groups (guided drawing, free drawing control, or basic control).

Drawing and Anxiety Study: Investigation of a Guided-Drawing and Mindfulness Intervention to Reduce Anxiety

Drawing and Anxiety Study

Condition
Anxiety
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

University Park

Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States, 16802

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * Within the specified age range (13 to 17.9 years for adolescent version; 18 to 25 years for adult version)
  • * Able to speak, read and understand English
  • * Outside the specified age range (13 to 17.9 years for adolescent version; 18 to 25 years for adult version)
  • * Not able to speak, read and understand English

Ages Eligible for Study

13 Years to 25 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Collaborators and Investigators

Penn State University,

Sarah Myruski, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, The Pennsylvania State University

Study Record Dates

2025-05