Orla Henaghen by University of Dundee Research

ORLA HENAGHEN

An Analysis on the Impact of Art Therapy on Mental Health and Well-being.

May 2025

Fine Art BA Hons Dissertation

DOI 10.20933/100001379

Except where otherwise noted, the text in this dissertation is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) license.

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AnAnalysis of the Engagement inArt on Mental Health and Well-Being.

FineArt (Hons)

Word Count: 7572

Adissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of a Bachelor ofArts (Hons) degree in FineArt.

Duncan of Jordonstone College ofArt and Design University of Dundee 2025

This dissertation analyses the impact the engagement in art has on mental health and wellbeing. This was achieved by a mixed methodology approach and research study with 10 female participants, supported by a literature review. The study consisted of participants engaging in a painting exercise, with their emotions and body language being monitored with questionnaires and observations. The results demonstrated a positive impact of art on the mental health and well-being of all the participants, which was also supported by existing literature and research. Due to the limitations of the study with population, timescale, and researcher’s experience, replicating the study with a larger population and experienced researcher, with a background in art therapy, would be recommended. The literature review summarised and evaluated the existing information and concluded to the outcome that art is beneficial to aid mental health and well-being, and there is little to no evidence which supports against this.

To conclude, the current research base overwhelmingly supports that art has a positive impact on mental health and well-being. however, there needs to be further research completed that uses a mixed methodology approach with wider populations of participants in different geographical areas to increase the reliability and validity of results so they can be transferred to a wider population. Through existing research and literature, the benefits of engagement in art are made increasingly apparent and will continue to do so through its evolving participation in healthcare strategies and private settings.

1. Introduction

In recent years, the connection between creative arts and health has gained significant attention.Art, traditionally recognised for cultural and political purposes (Rayner, 2023), is now increasingly valued for its role in enhancing mental and physical well-being. Studies highlight the potential of creative practices, such as painting and music, in reducing stress, improving emotional regulation, and promoting physical healing. This dissertation investigates how artistic participation impacts mental health and well-being, arguing for its inclusion in healthcare strategies (Appendix 1).

1.1 Context and Background

In recent times, there has been an inflation in the fascination between the creative arts (Appendix 1) and health.Art has continuously been known for being cultural and political (Reyner, 2023), it is now progressively comprehended as a powerful benefactor for positive well-being. Artistic involvement, whether it's painting, music, or other outlets, has shown assurance in improving mental health, emotional awareness, stress reduction, and even physical improvements (Appendix 1). Modern research has launched an insight into how creating and engaging with creativity can support personal emotional growth and physical healing development, with example studies encouraging these benefits across a wide range of backgrounds (e.g., age groups, gender, hospital settings, mental health therapy, group therapy community programmes (Appendix 1)) (Silvia, 2024, Rae, 2006, Mount 2024). Art therapy (Appendix 1) is an important structure containing art practices (like painting) that enables support in the regulation of mental health issues and general well-being (Appendix 1).Art therapy will be an important structure discussed within this dissertation.

1.2 Research Problems

Aside from the large increase in the interest in art therapy, there still is a fallback on the amount of comprehensive knowledge and understanding. Most studies focus their attention purely on a quantitative or qualitative approach (Appendix 1), lacking the ability to combine the two. This gap in research reduces the capability of healthcare professionals and the public to comprehend how art therapy successfully works and its expansive impact on the healthcare system.

1.3Aims and Objectives

This dissertation aims to investigate the impact art has on mental health and physical wellbeing by analysing existing literature and case studies containing the positive benefits and limitations of art and a student-led art therapy-inspired research exercise carried out to explore this dissertations question. By evaluating relevant case studies and written works, this dissertation aims to showcase why creative practices (Appendix 1) should be incorporated into modern-day healthcare strategies (appendix 1). Research shows the possibility of art to enhance mental health regulation, proposing it as an important tool in the advancement of patient care. It will also investigate the considerable consequence creative creation has on mental health and well-being, with the argument that art therapy should be a crucial integration into modern healthcare. By creating insight into the power art therapy can hold for a wider variety.An art therapy research exercise was carried out in benefaction to this dissertation, with its delivery, process, and findings all dedicated to providing data bridging the qualitative and quantitative data gap. The research exercise analysed data from 10 University of Dundee students undergoing an art therapy-inspired group session, with their

emotions being monitored before during and after the hour session. This exercise provides a number and flaws and drawbacks relating to the accuracy of the data, but it begins to join the difference in the existing research resources.

1.4 Research Overview

The Therapeutic impact (Appendix 1) of creative participation has surged dramatically in recent years. Studies like Creech et al. (2013) demonstrate the psychological (Appendix 1) benefits of group sessions creating music, which thereafter cultivates social advances, minimising anxiety, and boosts over all mental health and general well-being. Equally, Stuckey and Nobel (2010) explore the use of creative visual arts as an outlet for selfdiscovery for patients dealing with long-term medical conditions displaying how creating, art using paints and drawing, controls their emotions and enables mental and physical healing. These studies emphasise how artistic pursuits can assist mental and physical health, focusing on the significant value of including artistic creation in healthcare and medical environments.A study by Kamial etal. (2016) uncovered how the interaction in creative processes drastically lowers cortisol levels, which are related to high stress.Art therapy also strengthens participants’self-discovery and mindfulness which is key for those dealing with depression (Appendix 1), anxiety (Appendix 1) and other long-term health conditions. Carl Jung’s idea of the unconscious (Fritscher, 2023) backs the prospect that creativity can reveal hidden troubles helping participants begin to uncover their experiences they didn’t know needed healing. This corresponds with therapy techniques like mindful and cognitive-behavioural therapies, MBCT (Schimelpfening, 2024). Outside of therapy, creative practices (Appendix 1) are commonly used in healthcare settings. Research on art-inspired practices in hospitals displays that artistic activities (Appendix 1) provide a decrease in pain and anxiety. For example, The Arts in Health Programmes in the UK have helped people with long-term

health conditions, and cancer patients, raise mental well-being furthermore, art therapy has been discovered to have a positive impact on cognitive function in elders, especially those with dementia. Group art therapy settings have also been found to have a positive impact as they create a community setting and connection. (Salvador et al, 2018) discovered that community art creation helps participants who struggle with isolation and low self-esteem (Appendix 1) create individual growth. Art can be a powerful asset for physical and emotional healing if used correctly.

2. Literature Review

2.1Art Therapy Techniques and Benefits

Art therapy is a variant of psychotherapy that takes advantage of creative outlets such as painting, music, dance, and many more, to help participants investigate their emotions, create newfound self-awareness, and enhance personal growth (Bennett, 2018). The prominent intention of utilising art therapy is to enable a non-verbal experience for participants aiming to express their emotions that they may find challenging to vocalise through traditional methods of therapy. With the involvement in the arts, people can access their deep selves and create a physical structure to their emotions and experiences, in a way that encourages the healing process, fostering emotional release (Loreskar, 2024). The confidence behind art therapy is that it can make creative mediums a therapeutic manner, providing an inclusive process for emotional release and self-healing. Many psychological theories support the outcomes of art therapy and provide an important understanding of how the unique therapeutic approach can positively affect mental health, more specifically in the form of non-verbal expression.Asignificant example of a theory is Carl Jung’s, The theory of unconscious. Jung believed that one's unconscious mind is not only a personal collection of

concealed emotions and experiences but also contains the collective unconscious. The collective unconscious is Jung’s breakthrough theory, that every human shares the same hardwire memories and emotions that have been continuously evolving over large periods and are consistent between various cultures and social backgrounds. Jungian psychology highlights how the use of creative representation can connect to these unconscious factors, (Fritscher, 2023). With creating are, participants can release these concealed emotions and make them part of their conscious state and begin to heal from them and enhance their current self-awareness. This coordinates with a main principle within therapy is that releasing concealed emotions, through a non-verbal medium such as painting, can create wider selfacceptance, and understanding and benefit the individual's mental well-being.

When starting the process of internal healing within therapy outlines, non-verbal mediums play an important part, backed by neurobiological and psychological theories. Non-verbal therapy techniques, like painting drawing, and sculpting, break through the boundaries that commonly occur in traditional verbal therapy, especially for people who find it difficult to verbalise their emotions as often it's challenging to confront your emotions out loud (Lapum, 2020). There is an immense area of research behind the science that when creating art, the right hemisphere of the brain is triggered, raising serotonin levels. From this, areas such as emotional awareness, and intuition become heightened, which then creates a contrast to the brain's left hemisphere which centres around tactical thinking and dominance.

Astudy carried out by Professor Semi Zeki, member of the chair in neurasthenics at University College London, where willing individuals participated in brain scans when showing paintings of culturally famous artists. The results showed that when participants were shown paintings, they enjoyed visually the most blood flow raised by 10% to the righthand side of the brain. This study displayed how art can create a connection with the human brain, “artists are often better observers and have better memory, and this may be due to how art affects the brain’s plasticity.” (American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine,

2024). Moreover, non-verbal art creation offers a personalised method of discovering your emotional well-being. Art engages the mind and body in the ever-expanding creative process, which then leads to the discharge of distress and mental troubles within the human body.

Combined both these psychological theories highlight the effectiveness of art therapy for positively affecting mental health and mental well-being.Art therapy created a one-of-a-kind personalised journey to assist participants in unlocking, advancing, and learning to approach their concealed emotions in a safe and understanding environment. In contrast to this, a paper by Springham (2019) evaluates the harm of art therapies. The paper outlines the damage caused by the increased dependency on the therapist, leading to self-distrust, resulting in harm. “Harm was only possible when the art therapist’s self-reflection failed…” (Springham, 2019).

There is a wide assortment of variants of art therapy techniques and approaches, including but not limited to; painting, drawing, sculpture, music, and dance, each with unique therapeutic benefits. Painting, drawing, and sculpture allow participants to release difficult emotions into visuals and symbolism, this can be incredibly beneficial for people who find it difficult to vocalise their internal struggles. This medium also supports the feelings of mindfulness and relaxation, leading to a reduction in anxiety and stress levels.Another variant is music therapy, this medium utilises the possibilities of sound to stimulate heavy disposition, release internal pain, and create a feeling of connection to the sounds. In addition, using dance as a therapeutic outlet allows participants to engage in physical activity, therefore enhancing selfawareness, developing emotional stability, and in general increasing mental and physical well-being. Each variety of art therapy provides its unique characteristics and benefits for the enhancement of emotional release and healing, this makes art therapy a multipurpose and flexible outlet for improving mental health and well-being.

As highlighted before, various amounts of case studies and therapeutic approaches, like Mindful- Based Stress Reduction (MSBR). “MSBR can help people to cope with and

improve physical symptoms caused by long-term illness” (Guys and St Thomas, 2022), One of the long-term illnesses listed on the NHS website is stress and anxiety. MSBR's main goal is to bring attention to the issue at hand in a non-judgemental manner using meditation practices. This therapeutic model can be used instead of and in conjunction with, Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). CBT (Appendix 1) is a therapeutic model, with a certified therapist, spread across 20-40 weeks where you can figure out how to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours. Unlike MSBR (Appendix 1), CBT can only be carried out during a scheduled session with a therapist meaning its growth potential is limited and can only be achieved with additional support and over a longer period (NHS, 2022). MSBR is encouraged to be practised at home and is recommended as a preventative measure for depression (The Mindful Initiative, 2022). Combining MSBR and art therapy has led to the creation of Mindfulness-BasedArt Therapy (MBAT) (Mindfulness-BasedArt Therapy (MBAT), 2014). MBAT (Appendix 1).Arelevant study used MBAT to examine its functionality (Van Lith, 2021)

Within the practice of art therapy, there are several obstacles to overcome in the sessions, such as sustaining participant confidentiality in a group therapeutic setting. Sustaining individual confidentiality can be difficult due to the unrestricted structure of the session. Each participant expresses personal emotions and experiences within the group, which therefore, heightens the hazard of information being shared with the group. Creating evident rules and principles that create a safe and welcoming environment will enable each participant to gain the maximum out of each session. TheAmericanArt TherapyAssociation (2013) highlights the importance of safeguarding participants’works and data with their advisement for safety measures.

Art therapy has demonstrated significant benefits for mental health and well-being; however, practitioners must navigate challenges such as maintaining confidentiality in group settings and addressing individual resistance. In group art therapy, confidentiality is complex due to

the collective nature of the sessions. Participants share personal experiences and creations within the group, increasing the risk of unintentional disclosure. Establishing clear guidelines and emphasizing the importance of confidentiality is essential to fostering a safe environment. TheAmericanArt Therapy Association (2013) underscores the necessity of protecting client artwork and related data, advising therapists to implement reasonable measures to ensure confidentiality in their professional settings. Their first point under the confidential section is “Art Therapists treat clients in an environment that protects privacy and confidentiality.” (2013, p. 4). During each session, tackling the internal resistance from each participant can be proven difficult, with factors including scepticism, disbelief and encouragement within themselves. Awareness of the foundational causes of the obstruction is imperative for art therapists to successfully face and overcome these resistances.Aresearch Thesis investigating AestheticAttunement (Appendix 1) to client resistance (2024) proposes that art therapy approaches to traditional therapy can reduce pushback from participants and enable higher beneficial outcomes. Furthermore, art therapists must be attentive to ethical concerns when challenging participants to push back from the therapeutic process.Art Therapy Credentials Board Code of Ethics (2021) highlights the significance of acknowledging participants’individuality and maintaining the boundaries of consent.Art therapists are promoted to engage in ways and approaches to support the individual and harvest a safe and positive creative therapeutic process.

2.2Art Therapy in Specific Populations

Various examples of research and case examples display the link between the positive progress of mental health with the engagement in art, throughout various diversities, including, the elderly, children, hospital patients, and different populations. To help children, art therapists have discovered that activities such as painting and drawing, have displayed a

positive impact on regulating their emotions, anxiety reduction, and enhancing their social skills. Studies have shown that art therapy sessions for adolescents have enabled recovery from trauma as it creates a safe environment where non-verbal expression is encouraged, as children find it more challenging to vocalise their concerns and express complicated emotions (Malchiodi, 2015). The US-run programme “Art in Action” reaches over 85,000 across 32 states in the United States, founder Judy Sleeth created the programme in 1982 as a response to the noticeable lack of creative practices taught in schools. Since the beginning of this programme, the students involved have become 5 times less likely to drop out of education and 4 times more likely to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in the future. The programme reinforces the support in emotional development within children, especially children who face behavioural challenges (Art in Action, 2024). Within children, active and creative therapeutic means have shown to be greatly successful,Asession of play therapy, before a structured session of art therapy, can provide the therapist with additional information about how to best benefit the child and tailor the session around them (West, 1996, p. 9). In hospitals, art therapy can provide a prominent distraction for children undergoing medical procedures and help them to begin processing the emotions of being in an unsettling environment of a hospital (Copley and Forryan, 1998).

With the elderly generation, creative practices cultivate cognitive advances and positive emotional responses. Research in this area emphasises the favourable benefits art activities can have in reducing the speed of cognitive degression within participants diagnosed with dementia and creating a positive environment around them.Aprominent study by Gene D Cohen (2006) emphasises that the elderly who participated in the community art programme displayed improvement in their mental health, specifically diminished signs of depression and loneliness, and increased their feeling of self-purpose and meaning. The study results are based on 166 older adults who were deemed to be healthy in the United States and were then later evaluated at the end of the programme after 12 months. These benefits stem from the

combination of cognitive engagement, social interaction, and creative self-expression. Within hospitals, art therapy programmes enable greatly impactful benefits.

For patients facing short-term or chronic treatment, creative practices can provide a therapeutic beneficial distraction from the hospital environment. Astudy by Patricia Loreskar (2024), acknowledged that hospitalisation can be extremely distressing to patients, especially children, and that art therapy can lessen anxiety and fears. From this, they conducted an art therapy session, conducted by a certified art therapist, with 12 hospital patients aged 4-12 and the study concluded that the child individual felt safer, a healthy child energy appeared in each patient enabling the child to accomplish more than they could expect, boosting their mood and general well-being. The document “I’ll be doing this ski in my dreams tonight” (Penny, R, 2006), specializes in authenticating the significance of enabling creative practices for people living within hospitals, aiming to inspire medical practice policy creators to incorporate creative partnerships in healthcare settings. Hospital patient and artist Winnie McArthur began to paint during her duration at the hospital “The simple fact is that I was unhappy before I started painting and I’ve been happy since” (2006, p. 39), This hospital patient experience with art enabled her to finally feel joy in her life despite being a hospital resident. She describes “I am one with the world for the first time.” (2006, p. 39). A collection edited by Malchiodi (1999) displays various case examples of the use of art therapy with laryngectomy, the medical procedure of removing part or all the areas in the throat that contain the vocal cords, patients.

One prominent example is Case 1 by SusanAinlayAnand and Vinod K.Anand (1999, p.6970), a 46-year-old male was scheduled for a laryngectomy the following day, he was struggling with his way of life and mental health, divorced, unemployed, and living with his mother. He has never received any previous art lessons or processes before but was willing to participate. He found it difficult to create work on the spot with the art therapist so requested

to take the supplies away to create in his own time. He confessed he was unable to create during the time with the therapists as he doubts himself and has never accumulated to anything before, he felt alone.Another session was carried out after his surgery when he was able to move and get out of bed, during this session he would cry intermittently whilst writing the word talk. Feeling fears, he wouldn’t be able to talk again. When a drawing was completed, he was able to accurately represent his emotions of boredom and Hispanic of no longer being able to carry out his normal life. This case study accurately displays the impact art had on enabling patients to communicate fears and worries they could not verbalise. These studies cooperatively display how engagement in art surpasses ages and settings, granting a wide-ranging number of backgrounds and populations an accessible creative outlet to enhance their mental health and general well-being.

2.3Art Therapy Exercise Research

Art therapy is a therapeutic approach that utilizes the creative process of creating art to encourage emotional healing and personal growth. This approach to focusing on your mental health and well-being highlights the idea that the process of creating itself can be healing and if explored in the correct environment can allow participants to become more in touch with their inner emotions. To further the understanding and research on the benefit of engaging in art on mental health and well-being, an art therapy-inspired non-verbal emotional release exercise was conducted.Avaluable previous art therapy course that heavily inspired the structure of ‘Emotional Release’, was by Patricia D. Isis. (2015). Isis created and conducted an 8-week group course that used formal meditation practices to create visual art, called Mindful-based Stress Reduction (MBSR). The structure behind this course was to connect with a hospital-based community that attracts different types of emotional and mental health challenges and introduces new styles of thought and feelings, both pleasant and unpleasant, offering the participants heightened self and social awareness.

One week of the course that prominently inspired my research was week 4: Stress Reactivity and Stress Hardiness, as that week intended to “bring awareness to pleasant and unpleasant events in their bodies, knowing the experience as its thoughts and feelings around it, and their response or reaction to it.” (2015).At the beginning of the exercise, each participant was invited to take a seat and practice breathing meditation led by D. Isis.After the initial breathing exercises, patients received a printed human outline on a piece of paper, using pastels and other mediums of colour they were encouraged to translate their emotions from the breathing exercise onto the paper. They were then given a plain piece of paper and asked to recreate the same actions, just without the human outline for guidance, enabling the patients to create abstract forms, using a variety of colours, reflecting their current inner emotions. These elements have been taken forward into the ‘Emotional Release’exercise as they allow participants to focus deeply on their current emotions and push the effectiveness of their artwork, testing the boundaries they subconsciously create.

In the book ‘Art Therapy for Groups, A Handbook of Themes and Exercises’ by Marian Leibmann (2004), Leibmann outlines important reasons for using group settings for Art Therapy sessions and the main question, why use art? The main points highlighted are that art provides an activity all skill levels and ages can engage in, as this is helpful for groups where some members may find it difficult to communicate verbally. Outlined is also how “people with similar needs can provide mutual support for each other and help with mutual problem solving” (2004). This allows for a wider range of individuals to participate in my art therapyinspired exercise and create a collection of diverse and personal outcomes. In The Bell Jar (1963), Sylvia Path examines the themes of mental health, self-discovery, and isolation, which reflects the intent of the ‘Emotional Release’ exercise. Esther Greenwood, the leading character, finds herself falling into depression and struggling with her insecurities, feeling like she is trapped underneath a bell jar. This metaphor

demonstrates how if negative emotions aren’t brought to life and dealt with it can cause personal distortion. “I couldn’t see the point of getting up. I had nothing to look forward to.” echoes the character’s mental dislocation which is an area art therapy can aim to uncover.

The novel encapsulates self-discovery and freedom from your set internal restrictions as Esther embodies breaking free from “the bell jar”. Plath’s narrative in the novel enables connections with personal mental achievements and embracing vulnerabilities of the ‘Emotional Release’ Exercise, displaying the power of acknowledging and clarification of one’s emotional and mental state, Plath, S (1963). The ability to create an entirely accurate conclusion to the benefits art therapy can produce from this research exercise was limited due to a few factors.

3.0 Methodology

3.1

Research Design

The research method of this research exercise was a crucial part of linking the gap in existing research and case studies.A mixed methodology (Appendix 1) was used, combining qualitative data and quantitative data (Appendix 1). Qualitative research is a scientific data collection method that focuses on the in-depth understanding of perceptions, beliefs, experiences and motivation (Parahoo, 2014).Afew researchers believed that to fully understand people, they should be heard and observed. Qualitative research is a term for a wider variety of approaches that aim to deepen the knowledge of human experiences and behaviour. I used this approach in my work within the thematic analysis of the participant’s reflections before the exercise within the pre-questionnaire (Appendix 2), during the exercise with notes and observations, and after the post-questionnaire (Appendix 3) and group

discussions. Quantitative research reflects the classic scientific strategy. It uses data gathered in numerical language through questionnaires and structured observations. The purpose of this research method is to measure variables in a numerical term to highlight relationships between them. This approach was used in the emotional release exercise in the form of the pre-and post-questionnaire forms.

Whilst noticing the gap in research on art therapy that combines qualitative and quantitative research methods, a combined approach was used to gain the most accurate data that could be possible. The questionnaire forms contained 1-10 scale questions, this method is known as the Likert scale, designed by scientists Rensis Likert. This scale is commonly used in educational and social research as it can be a simpler method for the participant to understand and carry out, and it enables the data gathered to be easily analysed (Jamieson, 2024).

The choice to carry this exercise out in a group setting as it allows for a wider network of support to be created and the participants can learn more about their emotions from one another. Abstract art releases the participants from the need to vocalise their emotions into words, which can usually be difficult to do. Alternatively, they can direct their emotions through shapes, textures, and colours, enabling emotional catharsis (Appendix 1).Abstract painting can create a method with which there is no right or wrong outcome. It encourages the participants to release inner emotions and feelings. The choice to use a larger-sized canvas, experimental strokes, and the interaction with the materials, using sponges, hands, and pallet knives enables a physical release of energy. Each brush stroke and colour within the participant's artwork represents a current emotion, enabling them to view their internal emotional state. The mixture of guided mediational reflection and art creation encourages them to be more self-aware of their internal state.

When creating the exercise, careful consideration was put into each step, from participants, location, and task being carried out. The objective of the ‘Emotional release’non-verbal research exercise was to allow participants to express their emotions through colour, texture,

and shape, facilitating the release of their inner emotions that they may find challenging to open about verbally, through creative creation and meditational practices. The location for the exercise was in a white-walled studio with bright natural lighting at the University of Dundee. The structure of the emotional release exercise was, Beginning with guided emotional reflection. Starting with the first 10 minutes, participants fill out a pre-activity form with questions asking about their current emotional state, how able they are to communicate their emotions, etc. This will then be compared later after the experiment when the post-activity form is filled out.

Following this, the exercise will start with a short calming mindfulness exercise to enable participants to connect to their current emotional state. With the proven benefit, “music encourages our focus towards the sound we listen to and distract us from problematic thoughts” (2018). The activity began with meditational water music being played whilst a breathing exercise was read out (Appendix 4). The decision for a musical element to be played was due to the research by Jonathan Burdette, a neuroradiologist. He found that the impact music has on the connectivity of the brain enables further emotional release. The research used MRI scans of the brain that show that listening to music, especially the participant's favourite songs, reinforces brain activity in certain areas that trigger selfawareness and empathy. This means music can help people process their own emotions, being a powerful tool for personal emotional release.

Wake Forest Baptist Medical Centre (2017). The verbal breathing exercise read out was heavily inspired by a mindful breathing script, written by Shilagh Mirgain (2016). The script enabled listeners to open up and become aware of their current emotions. It encourages the participants to distance themselves from their surroundings and thoughts and allows them to float down a stream as if they were a leaf. S, Mirgain (2016). To this script elements of the current exercise were added to make it relevant to the desired outcome. Questions like “If your emotions were a colour, what would it be?” and “If your feeling had shape, what would

it look like?” were added to the script. This was to enable participants to translate their emotions into a visual outcome. With the music playing throughout the duration, the participants then began creating their artwork, channelling all the visual colours and shapes they created during the meditation. Over the next 40 minutes, they used whatever medium and utensils they were necessary and would accurately represent their current emotions, enabling release. They were encouraged to experiment with textures by using the sponges, pallet knives, or even their hands to apply the paint. The freedom of overlapping colours to represent the layers of their emotions was encouraged as it can express complexity, reminded to go with their instincts. They were all often reminded at multiple moments throughout the exercise, that they were free to paint anything.

The focus of the painting is on expressing our emotions and not creating a “beautiful” or realistic piece. After this, a silent reflection and release was carried out to offer the time to observe their work and reflect on the process. For the remaining 10 minutes of the exercise, they were asked to take a step back from their work and admire what they had created, thinking about how it is making them currently feel compared to the beginning of the exercise. They were asked questions like “What was the strongest emotion felt whilst you painted?” and “Do you feel you released internal emotions?”. They then received their postactivity question form to fill out, with questions reflecting on the exercise. Following this, participants were asked if they wanted to discuss and reflect on their work amongst the group if they felt comfortable doing so. It allowed them to describe the emotional journey they went through to create their unique artwork, enabling a second opinion of their creations.

All participants partook in this part of the exercise. The expected income of this exercise was for 10 unique and experimental paintings to be created, with a large variety of techniques and colours being used.And for participants to connect with their inner emotions, release any negativity, and replace it with feelings of calmness and relaxation.

3.2 Participants and Restrictions

The ability to create an entirely accurate conclusion to the benefits art therapy can produce from this research exercise was limited due to a few factors. First of which, and most importantly. The person who created and conducted this exercise was not a licensed art therapist, but a student. This means the exercise was not provided by a licensed individual, lessening the effectiveness. The number of participants who partook was only 10, this smaller number affected the accuracy of the data collected. The backgrounds of the participants also may have created a biased response to answers, as all were female and 9 of them were under 21 years old.Around half of the participants were art students, so to them creating art was already a part of their daily lives, so some of their responses about how often they go towards art were similar.Also, factors such as the space, size of canvases, and mediums were taken into consideration. The space for the exercise was the only available space at the given time so this created a restriction with natural light and space to make all participants comfortable.

To engage in the exercise there was an open call, therefore a diverse range of people were involved, with differences including, but not limited to, age, background, sex, and emotional state. Research carried out by Tara Chaplin, Department of Psychology at George Mason University, reported that adult women show preeminent emotional expressivity and are more likely to be in connection with their inner selves (Chaplin T, 2021). Women are more likely to have more advantaged social networks than men therefore, they tend to find it easier to confine in others and seek help for mental health problems (Mental Health Foundation, 2021). Before the exercise, careful deliberation was used to decide on materials as the materials selected would impact the outcome of the artworks created.

The desired outcome was painted uniform canvases, to then later be displayed in an exhibition with all the artworks. Due to this 30 x 40cm were selected with a large array of acrylic paints, coloured pencils, oil pastels, coloured tissue paper, cutlery, paint brushes, pallet knives, coloured pens, etc. Due to the exercise being carried out in a university facility

external participants would require additional permissions and undergo health and safety measures; to avoid this only the university students were able to attend. In collection with the other restrictions this exercise faces, the data gathered does not accurately represent the wider response to the engagement in art therapy on mental health and well-being.

3.3 Data Collection

Astudent-guided “Emotional Release” exercise was carried out in a studio setting at the University of Dundee. The research data was documented through pre- and post-activity questionnaires, observation notes on the participant’s engagement and reactions to the exercise, and group discussions and photographs. Throughout the exercise observations about the participant’s engagement and responses were recorded. Participants engaged fully whilst being guided by the calming meditational music, creating a supported reflective atmosphere. Everyone focused entirely on their work, creating personal unique paintings as they experimented with a wide variety of tools, especially sponges, forks and pallet knives. Silence was observed consistently throughout the session, which further enhanced their concentration to themselves.

As they began to become more comfortable during the session their artwork and techniques evolved too. Beginning from gentle brushstrokes using soft colours to bolder, more expressive marks.Afterwards, the group shared their experiences and private reflections, discussing their emotional responses and creative approaches. Record and collect the data during the research exercise, constantly observe the attendees closely, jot down how they engage with the activity, what mediums and tools they most use and painting styles used on the canvas and note down their shifts in focus and attention. Photographs were taken during the session to document the physical behaviours of the participants and their body language during each step of the painting process, as well as the progression of each artwork.

Furthermore, every participant completed a pre-and post-activity questionnaire, to document the changes in the emotional states and their reflections on the process.After, group discussions were facilitated to provide further data on the therapeutic impact of the exercise. The data collected during the pre- and post-activity questionnaires were summarised and the average differences between both forms and the most prominent answers were found.

4. Results 4.1 Quantitative Data

The data collected during the pre-and post-activity questionnaires had been summarised and the average diXerences between both forms and the most prominent answers were found. “On a scale from 1-10, how would you rate your current anxiety and stress level?” The average participant recorded this went down by 3.3. “How likely can you see yourself going towards art when struggling with your mental health?”, This had gone up by 2.2 marks. “How connected and aware do you currently feel towards your mental health?”, this rose by 1.3 with most answers going up, and a few lowered which may suggest not all participants felt this exercise connected them emotionally with art. “how easily do you find it to be able to communicate your feelings currently, Verbally and non-verbally?”, This increased by 2.8 but again there were some participants where this answer decreased. The questions where some answers had decreased may suggest that those participants may not benefit as much as others from art therapy techniques. These findings display the positive impact the findings of the exercise have on the research of the engagement in art on the impact of mental health, within its limitations.

4.2 Qualitative Data

Emotional release is a personal journey and not one approach works for everyone. The most common emotion pre-exercise was stress, and the most common feeling post-activity was calmness. The data collected also showed that the emotion that a majority of people released during the exercise was stress. Throughout the painting process, the most prominent emotions felt by all participants were relaxation and calmness, with others feeling a sense of selfunderstanding, tranquil and relief. There was also a large variety of different responses to the question “How do you feel after participating in this activity? Has anything changed in how you feel during the exercise?And “What expectations and hopes do you have for the outcome of this activity?”. The prominent responses to these questions were to try something new, to release feelings of stress and anxiety, and to feel more connected to themselves.All participants experienced Emotional Catharsis, the process of releasing negative emotions developed by Dr. Sigmund Freud (Cherry, 2023), with the post emotions of the activity mainly being relief, calm, and understanding. When observing the session each participant’s comfortability grew as they became more accepting of themselves and the creative process with their physical body language. During the group discussion at the end of the exercise, the group shared their feelings and emotions when creating their work, their body language became more open during this and they shared their emotions of release and creative freedom. The thematic framework used to collect and summarise the qualitative data was to gather the most common and reoccurring wordings and phrasings used and to take note of unique wordings and emotions felt.

4.3 Interpretation of Findings

Following the research exercise, it was found that the intention of creating emotional catharsis and a safe space to explore non-verbal release was successful. The quantitative and qualitative research structure enabled a mixed-method approach that combined the data scientifically and emotionally, bridging the gap in previous research and case studies in art therapy. The results from the pre-and post-questionnaires displayed that the art therapy exercise allowed participants to release their negative emotions and feelings and, using a creative outlet, turn them into positive self-exploration, transforming feelings of stress and anxiety into calm and relaxation. The 3.3 points reduction in stress and anxiety display that art therapy supported stress regulation, linking to prior evidence that creative activities can ease mental health tensions. The likelihood of using art for mental health increased by an average of 2.2 points, this movement in the participant’s willingness to turn to art when facing struggles displays how the exercise incorporated art as a reachable and therapeutic tool for mental well-being. Self-connection and awareness increased by 1.3 points on average. Although they were an increase in the average score, a small number of participants reported a decrease.

This mixed outcome among the participants may suggest that the exercise wasn’t effective for everyone enabling emotional catharsis. Some participants may have experienced being overwhelmed with their emotions or with the creative process, leaving them to be disconnected from the session.Apposed from some participants feeling disconnected, there was an average increase of 2.8 points for enhanced communication of feelings. Their ability to express their emotions increased overall, but some participant’s scores on this question declined. This may suggest that although art therapy creates a safe space for self-expression and non-verbal release, it may not be everyone’s preferred therapeutic outlet. The research exercise successfully displayed how art therapy provides an improvement in mental health

and well-being, although its outcomes are variable to each participant and their differences. The results unite with existing literature that highlights art therapy’s role in mental health improvement. The participants’heightened self-awareness and lower stress levels align with the collaboration for art therapy in healthcare structures. The qualitative data gathered from the research exercise suggests that every participant engaged in some form of emotional catharsis, with the main reductions being in stress and the increase in calmness and relief. This unifies with Freud’s catharsis theory, highlighting the therapeutic impact of processing through creative outlets (Cherry, 2023).

Before the exercise started the main emotional state within the participants was stress, after the session it shifted to calmness and relief. This suggests the exercise was effective in navigating participants from negative to positive. During the session, the individuals became more and more confident in the creative therapeutic process, as noted by their body language and increased openness during the final group discussion. This outcome communicates to research that art therapy creates not only emotional catharsis but also personal connection and increased self-confidence.Although the majority of participants reported feelings of tranquillity, some reported unique feelings of self-understanding and creative freedom. This accurately shows how subjective art therapy can be. The limitations within the research exercise displayed that it was not universally effective, a minority of the participants raised an outcome of negative or neutral outcomes. This displays how the art therapy approach is not suitable for everyone but is successful for most. The exercise was conducted through a onehour session and only recorded the immediate effects and didn’t record the long-term results of the session. Emotional responses to the session are personal and extremely varied, which makes it difficult for the outcomes to be combined and placed in an average outcome verdict, this makes it difficult to evaluate data from broader populations and backgrounds.

6. Conclusion

This dissertation has analysed the impact of engagement in art on mental health and wellbeing, exploring its effectiveness in stress reduction, enhanced emotional catharsis, and facilitating self-awareness. Via a collaboration of qualitative and quantitative research methods and data, the research exhibited the positive impacts of art therapy approaches for diverse participant groups, whilst also recognising limitations that may arise. This conclusion integrates the crucial insights from each chapter, acknowledging the study’s consequences, and limitations, and providing gaps in current research for future study opportunities.

The central aim of this dissertation was to research and analyse the performance of art therapy as a successful approach for benefitting mental health and well-being. The findings demonstrate that participating in art therapy practices can enable impactful psychological advantages. This is displayed through lowered anxiety and stress levels, heightened personal mental communication, and increased self-awareness and understanding.

Quantitative discoveries highlighted that an overall average of 3.3 points in participants, in the emotional release research exercise, stress and anxiety levels reduced after participating in art therapy-inspired exercise. These discoveries coordinate with the pre-existing literature in section 2, which signifies the tranquilising repercussions of creative practices. Each participant stated that they experienced relaxation and relief after the exercise, exhibiting that art therapy enables the structure for emotional catharsis. The participant’s possibility of using art as an emotional regulation (Appendix 1) system went up by 2.2 points on average. This indicates that the research exercise was triumphant in creating a positive opinion of art therapy as a method of emotional release. It displays the possibility for art therapy to provide self-directed and non-verbal assistance for mental health worries.

Both quantitative and qualitative research methods signify the advancements in individuals’ capability to communicate their emotions, with the score increasing by 2.8 by the end of the exercise. While the majority of the participants benefitted from this area of the exercise, a small few detailed a decrease in this emotion, further highlighting the uniqueness of each individual of this creative therapeutic approach. Emotional catharsis arose as a key theme in the qualitative data as most of the participants detailed that they experienced a release of negative emotions and obtained deeper communication within themselves.

The qualitative data reported that there was a wide variety of experiences within the participants.Although the primary outcomes recorded were relief, calmness, and selfexploration, a few participants displayed their own individual outcomes of tranquillity and creative freedom. This discovery aligns with the idea that art therapy is not only an aid for emotional release but also an outlet for personal growth and understanding.

This research exercise supports the forever expanding library of data assisting art therapy as a successful measure for mental health struggles. The data collected from the exercise underlined key aspects of art therapy, one of which is stress management. The monitored decline in stress backs the idea that the use of creative practices is successful in being an accessible and impactful aid for mental health problems.Another key aspect is its ability to enhance emotional communication. By enabling a non-verbal release, art therapy links an important gap for people who find it challenging to open up about their emotions vocally. This exercise helps to create self-awareness as it flourishes further emotional awareness in the majority of participants, emphasising art therapy’s greater potential to create mindfulness. The research has applicable consequences for mental health professionals, teachers, and community frameworks.Art therapy can be combined into further therapeutic and healthcare structures, used by itself, or adjusted for specific demographics and populations example, people with traumas and neurodivergent needs. There are important areas of research this

dissertation could not cover and analyse, and future research could build and benefit from these areas. Research could evaluate the effects of art therapy over months, assess how different creative mediums affect different emotions in art therapy, and collaborate quantitative approaches with qualitative attendee interviews to discover both scientific outcomes and personal experiences.

This dissertation illustrates the revolutionary capability of art therapy in its positive effect on mental health and well-being. By enabling a safe environment for creative emotional catharsis, art therapy strengthens participants to be one with their emotions, reduce stress and anxiety, and explore self-expression.Although the research carried out highlights the effectiveness of this practice, it also displays the significance of changing therapeutic models to meet everyone’s requirements and needs.As mental health matters are increasingly rising as a priority globally, art therapy provides a persuasive and convenient route for additional support. By incorporating art and creative practices into classic therapeutic approaches, we can cultivate emotional wellness and support mental health and well-being.

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Appendices

Appendix 1: Glossary of Terms term Definition

Art Therapy

Creative Practices

Emotional Regulation

Mental Health

Well-Being

Healthcare Strategies

Emotional Awareness

Group Therapy Community Programmes

“Aform of psychotherapy that uses visual mediums as a outlet for self-expression and communication” (BritishAssociation of Art Therapists, 2025)

Is the way an individual approaches their work, in this dissertation it relates to painting, drawing, and sculpture. (Sauder, 2015)

“Is a term used to describe a persons’ability to manage and respond to an emotional experience.” (Rolston, Unknown)

“Is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life and realise their abilities.” (World Health Organization, 2022)

“Is the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy.” (Mental Health Foundation, 2015)

“Aplanned set of actions and goals designed to guide a healthcare organization or system towards improving the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of its services” (Bailey, 2014)

“The ability to recognise, understand, and label your own emotions as well as the emotions of others.” (Jacobson, 2023)

“Aform of psychotherapy where a group of individuals with similar challenges meet together with a trained therapist to discuss and work through their issues.” (CAMH, 2018)

Psychological Therapeutic Procedures

“Aset of techniques and methods used by mental health professionals to treat psychological issues.” (NHS inform, 2024)

Depression

Anxiety

ArtisticActivities

Low self-esteem

MSBR

MBAT

Aesthetic Attunement

Mixed methodology

Quantitative

Qualitative

“Amental health condition that entails persistent low mood and loss of interest in activities.” (National Institute of Mental Health, 2025)

“Common health condition where you often feel dread, fear, and other symptoms.” (Cleveland Clinic, 2024)

Activities that involve creation of artistic works. These dissertations examples are painting, drawing, and sculpture.

(NHS Southwest Yorkshire Partnership, 2021)

“Alack of self confidence in one’s abilities and self-worth.”

(Better Health Channel, 2014)

“Mindful-based stress reduction is a programme that teaches people to focus on the present moment to cope with stress, pain, and illness.” (Guys and St Thomas, 2022)

“Mindful-based art therapy that combines mindfulness and art to help manage psychological issues..” (Van Lith, 2021)

“a state of deep, attentive engagement with something aesthetically pleasing, where one is present to enjoy the qualities of the artwork.” (Carnes, 2024)

“Aresearch approach where one combines both numerical data and textual data within a single study.” (Parahoo, 2014)

“Research means collecting and analysing numerical data.”

(Parahoo, 2014)

Data representing information and concepts that aren’t displayed by numbers.” (Parahoo, 2014)

Emotional Regulation

Emotional catharsis

“The ability to manage and respond to strong feelings or triggers.” (Psychology Today, 2025)

“Process of releasing strong emotions, like anger, grief, or fear, through expression and psychological cleansing.” (Cherry,2023)

Appendix 2: Pre-questionnaire

Creative Emotional Release Exercise Participant number: (by participating in this activity, you are consenting for all information gather to be used as research in my dissertation document)

1. On a scale from 1 to 10, how would you rate your current anxiety or stress level? (1= not stressed at all, 10=extremely stressed. Circle 1 answer.)

2. How often do you find yourself currently going towards creating art when struggling with your mental health?

(1= not at all, 10= Every time. Circle 1 answer.)

3. How connected and aware do you currently feel towards your own mental health? (1= not connected at all, 10= extremely connected. Circle 1 answer.)

4. How easy to you find it to be able to communicate your feelings currently, verbally and non-verbally?

(1= very easy, 10= very difficult. Circle 1 answer.)

5. Which of the following best describes your current emotional state? (Circle 1 or more answers.)

eutral o Other (please specify)

6. What expectations and hopes do you have for the outcome of this activity?

Orla Henaghen