ART BASED THERAPY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AMONG YOUNG ADULTS

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of art-based therapy on psychologically distressed young adults using a pre-test and post-test research design. Thirty participants were part of the research study. There were two groups, control group (n=15) which didn’t receive art therapy sessions, whereas, the experimental group (n=12) was given art-based intervention, which comprised activities such as scribbling, drawing, and painting, conducted over eight sessions. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS21) were administered before and after the sessions to measure participants' levels of psychological distress of both the groups. The results revealed a statistically significant difference in participants' DASS21 scores of experimental groups following the therapy sessions, indicating a reduction in depression, anxiety, and stress levels. These findings suggest that art-based therapy may be an effective intervention for alleviating psychological distress among young adults. Further research with larger sample sizes and longitudinal follow-ups is suggested to confirm these findings and explore the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of art-based interventions.