The Effect of Mandala Coloring on Students' Anxiety Level and Quality of Life

Anxiety is a mood that focuses on the future, related to being prepared for possible upcoming negative events (fear, pain or danger), and unlike fear, its object is not determined or recognized, and it is exposed to uncertainty. Anxiety, which is felt as a common worry especially related to feelings of helplessness, is handled in two ways: state anxiety, which occurs in certain situations, and trait anxiety, which continues regardless of a specific situation.

Art therapy is used in the clinical and rehabilitation field as a useful tool for self-expression, healing and well-being. The close relationship between art, healing and well-being, and the therapeutic power of art has long been accepted all over the world. In line with developments in mental health since the mid-twentieth century, art has been widely appreciated as an important tool for both diagnosis and treatment. Art therapy offers individuals a safe haven to get away from past experiences and difficulties that no longer cause harm. In this context, there are many studies highlighting the effect of art therapy on psychological disorders such as healing trauma, death anxiety and burnout, showing that art therapy can be used as an alternative therapy in the treatment of emotion regulation and psychological disorders.

It is assumed that the repetitive patterns and symmetry of the mandala, which means circle in Sanskrit, create a meditative effect and increase psychological well-being by developing awareness. The anxiety-reducing effect of mandala, an integrative body-mind education form, has been associated with the circle; It is believed to increase psychological adaptation and preserve personality integrity, and is still used in psychotherapies today. Many studies have been conducted in the literature examining the effect of mandala painting on reducing anxiety.

When domestic and international literature is examined, it is noteworthy that there are no studies evaluating whether mandala painting reduces students' anxiety levels and increases their quality of life. This proposed project was planned to be carried out as a quasi-experimental study, based on the idea that mandala painting can reduce the level of anxiety in students and have a positive effect on the quality of life.