Reduction of Cortisol Levels and Participants' Responses Following Art Making

Abstract

This quasi-experimental study investigated the impact of visual art making on the cortisol levels of 39 healthy adults. Participants provided saliva samples to assess cortisol levels before and after 45 minutes of art making. Participants also provided written responses about the experience at the end of the session. Results indicate that art making resulted in statistically significant lowering of cortisol levels. Participants' written responses indicated that they found the art-making session to be relaxing, enjoyable, helpful for learning about new aspects of self, freeing from constraints, an evolving process of initial struggle to later resolution, and about flow/losing themselves in the work. They also reflected that the session evoked a desire to make art in the future. There were weak associations between changes in cortisol level and age, time of day, and participant responses related to learning about one's self and references to an evolving process in art making. There were no significant differences in outcomes based on prior experiences with art making, media choice, or gender.

Outcomes of art therapy and coloring for professional and informal caregivers of patients in a radiation oncology unit: A mixed methods pilot study

“…Lastly, unlike in previous studies where we found no impact of prior experience (Kaimal et al, 2016), here we found that a few outcomes (negative affect, creative agency and self-efficacy) tended to be slightly better for participants with some experience with artmaking. Note that we were not referring to perceived skills, only whether they had any prior experience.…”

“…The salivary biomarker data suffered from an even smaller sample size due to problems with the data collection for several of the participants who did not generate enough saliva to enable analysis; thus, little could be determined from these results. Further studies with a larger sample are necessary to determine if change might occur in caregiver's biomarkers after art therapy as we had observed in a general adult population (Kaimal et al, 2016). Some participants had particular difficulty producing sufficient saliva prior to the session, potentially related to high initial levels of stress as stress can decrease saliva production (Slavish et al, 2015).…”

“…The implication here could be that longer term and additional sessions of art therapy based interventions could result cumulatively in better outcomes. For caregivers under chronic stress, the prior experience might have brought a level of ease and confidence to participation which resulted in different outcomes compared to relatively healthier adults (Kaimal et al, 2016) where prior experience did not impact results. It may also be the case that a longer-term intervention would result in a greater distinction between the two approaches as repeated sessions would not only build experience with artmaking but also allow participants to build rapport with the art therapist.…”

Searching for the science behind art therapy

“…Despite these challenges, some recent work has shown promise-although sample sizes remain small. In a 2014 study, Girija Kaimal of Drexel University, an art therapist who also holds a doctorate in human development and psychology, investigated the effect of a single 45-minute art therapy session on stress in 39 healthy adults (3). She and her team sampled the saliva of participants before and after the session to test levels of cortisol, a stress-related hormone.…”

The Impact of Using Selected Art Therapy Approaches on Students Diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum (As) or With Behavioral Disabilities (Bd) in an Elementary School Art Classroom.

“…The study was conducted with participants between the ages of 18-59 years old and results showed that among 75% of the participants Cortisol levels were lowered after one 45 minute session. Originally Drexel University thought that the materials and age could affect the outcome of the study; Clay and marker projects vs. a collage project, however, in the end the results did not support this initial idea (Kaimal, Ray, & Muniz, 2016).…”