The DOI matches its Crossref record; 26 of the 26 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Empirical study on the healing nature of mandalas.
Abstract
Mandalas were first used in therapy by Carl Jung, who found that the act of drawing mandalas had a calming effect on patients while at the same time facilitating psychic integration. There is a scarcity of controlled empirical studies of the healing impact of mandalas on mental health. Based on the efficacy of James Pennebaker’s written disclosure paradigm in promoting mental well-being (Pennebaker, 1997a, 1997b), the purpose of our study was to examine the benefits for those suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) of processing traumatic events through the creation of mandalas. Benefits to participants were measured in terms of changes in the variables of PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms, anxiety, spiritual meaning, and the frequency of physical symptoms and illness. Relative to those in the control condition, individuals assigned to the experimental mandala-creation group reported greater decreases in symptoms of trauma at the 1-month follow up. There were no other statistically significant outcome differences. Alternative modes of processing traumatic events (e.g., visually symbolically) may serve individuals who are either reluctant or unable to write about their experiences.
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“it 'seemed effective in ameliorating symptoms' of PTSD (Henderson and Rosen 2007, 153).”
From Modern Maṇḍala Meditation: Some Observations (2017) · cites this paper as Henderson and Rosen 2007
In the citing paper
“[t]he drawing of a mandala provides cognitive integration and organization to complex emotional experiences that will give a sense of personal meaning ….”
From Modern Maṇḍala Meditation: Some Observations (2017) · cites this paper as Henderson and Rosen 2007
Citations
Cites
(1970) · Cited by 24,983
Writing About Emotional Experiences as a Therapeutic Process
Pennebaker, J. W. (1997) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.1997.tb00403.x · Cited by 2,486
(1997) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 1,043
Disclosure of traumas and psychosomatic processes
Pennebaker, J. W., & Susman, J. R. (1988) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/0277-9536(88)90397-8 · Cited by 592
Existential Meaning's Role in the Enhancement of Hope and Prevention of Depressive Symptoms
Mascaro, N., & Rosen, D. H. (2005) · Journal of Personality · doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.2005.00336.x · Cited by 399
Self-citationEmpirical foundations for writing in prevention and psychotherapy
Esterling, B. A., L’Abate, L., Murray, E. J., & Pennebaker, J. W. (1999) · Clinical Psychology Review · doi:10.1016/s0272-7358(98)00015-4 · Cited by 346
Taking Pen to Hand: Evaluating Theories Underlying the Written Disclosure Paradigm
Sloan, D. M., & Marx, B. P. (2004) · Clinical Psychology Science and Practice · doi:10.1093/clipsy.bph062 · Cited by 284
Effects of Writing About Traumatic Experiences: The Necessity for Narrative Structuring
Smyth, J. M., True, N., & Souto, J. (2001) · Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1521/jscp.20.2.161.22266 · Cited by 258
Can Coloring Mandalas Reduce Anxiety?
Curry, N. A., & Kasser, T. (2005) · Art Therapy · doi:10.1080/07421656.2005.10129441 · Cited by 253
A Closer Examination of the Structured Written Disclosure Procedure.
Sloan, D. M., & Marx, B. P. (2004) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-006x.72.2.165 · Cited by 251
Disclosing Trauma Through Writing: Testing the Meaning-Making Hypothesis
Park, C. L., & Blumberg, C. J. (2002) · Cognitive Therapy and Research · doi:10.1023/a:1020353109229 · Cited by 211
The Role of Existential Meaning as a Buffer Against Stress
Mascaro, N., & Rosen, D. H. (2006) · Journal of Humanistic Psychology · doi:10.1177/0022167805283779 · Cited by 206
Self-citationStroebe, M., Stroebe, W., Schut, H. A. W., Zech, E., & van den Bout, J. (2002) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-006x.70.1.169 · Cited by 203
Caelleigh, A. S. (2001) · Academic Medicine · doi:10.1097/00001888-200109000-00005 · Cited by 201
The development, construct validity, and clinical utility of the spiritual meaning scale
Mascaro, N., Rosen, D. H., & Morey, L. C. (2004) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2003.12.011 · Cited by 168
Self-citationWritten Disclosure in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Gidron, Y., Peri, T., Connolly, J. F., & Shalev, A. Y. (1996) · The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease · doi:10.1097/00005053-199608000-00009 · Cited by 145
An exposure‐based examination of the effects of written emotional disclosure
Kloss, J. D., & Lisman, S. A. (2002) · British Journal of Health Psychology · doi:10.1348/135910702169349 · Cited by 105
Pizarro, J. (2004) · Art Therapy · doi:10.1080/07421656.2004.10129327 · Cited by 96
Focused expressive writing as self‐help for stress and trauma
Smyth, J., & Helm, R. (2003) · Journal of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1002/jclp.10144 · Cited by 96
A study of Jung's Mandala and its relationship to art psychotherapy
Slegelis, M. H. (1987) · The Arts in Psychotherapy · doi:10.1016/0197-4556(87)90018-9 · Cited by 67
Mandala Drawing: Facilitating Creative Growth in Children with ADD or ADHD
Smitheman-Brown, V., & Church, R. R. (1996) · Art Therapy · doi:10.1080/07421656.1996.10759233 · Cited by 38
Mandala Artwork by Clients with DID: Clinical Observations Based on Two Theoretical Models
Cox, C. T., & Cohen, B. M. (2000) · Art Therapy · doi:10.1080/07421656.2000.10129701 · Cited by 33
Telling Without Talking: Art as a Window into the World of Multiple Personality
Cohen, B. M., & Cox, C. T. (1995) · Cited by 28
Behind the Veil: Mandala Drawings by Dementia Patients
Couch, J. B. (1997) · Art Therapy · doi:10.1080/07421656.1987.10759280 · Cited by 25
A Promising Psychosocial Intervention: Next Steps Include Systematic Study and Creative Extension
King, C. A. (2004) · Clinical Psychology Science and Practice · doi:10.1093/clipsy.bph064 · Cited by 4
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Outcome Studies on the Efficacy of Art Therapy: A Review of Findings
Slayton, S. C., D’Archer, J., & Kaplan, F. F. (2010) · Art Therapy · doi:10.1080/07421656.2010.10129660 · Cited by 372
Schouten, K. A., de Niet, G. J., Knipscheer, J. W., Kleber, R. J., & Hutschemaekers, G. J. M. (2015) · Trauma, Violence, & Abuse · doi:10.1177/1524838014555032 · Cited by 212
Creative art therapy for mental illness
Chiang, M., Reid-Varley, W.-B., & Fan, X. (2019) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2019.03.025 · Cited by 243
A Guide to Selecting Participatory Research Methods Based on Project and Partnership Goals
Duea, S. R., Zimmerman, E. B., Vaughn, L. M., Dias, S., & Harris, J. (2022) · Journal of Participatory Research Methods · doi:10.35844/001c.32605 · Cited by 215
The brain-body disconnect: A somatic sensory basis for trauma-related disorders
Kearney, B. E., & Lanius, R. A. (2022) · Frontiers in Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnins.2022.1015749 · Cited by 154
“Moderately reduced traumarelated symptoms have been reported in individuals receiving art therapy (Chapman et al., 2001; Curry and Kasser, 2005; Henderson et al., 2007; for a review, see Schouten et al., 2015) and music therapy (Carr et al.”
Background
Metadata
- Authors
- Henderson, P., Rosen, D., & Mascaro, N.
- Affiliations
- Texas A&M University (US)
- Emory University (US)
- Venue
- Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts
- Published
- 2007-08
- Volume
- 1
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 148-154
- ISSN
- 1931-3896 (ISSN-L)
- 1931-390X
- OpenAlex
- W1973798464
- Cited by
- 158
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 92.73
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychology of Aesthetics Creativity and the Arts (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Art Therapy and Mental Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health via Writing
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Keywords
- mandala, mandala drawing, post-traumatic stress disorder, trauma processing, written disclosure, mental health, depressive symptoms, anxiety, spiritual meaning, somatic symptoms, illness, Jungian psychology, art therapy
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