The purpose of this study is to identify the effects of drawing mandala on middle school students' stress
The subjects of this study were 120 first and second graders of 'A' middle school at 'C' city in Gyeongsangnamdo. They were chosen by random sa...
The purpose of this study is to identify the effects of drawing mandala on middle school students' stress
The subjects of this study were 120 first and second graders of 'A' middle school at 'C' city in Gyeongsangnamdo. They were chosen by random sampling and divided into three groups of 40 students each; the experimental group, the parallel group and the control group. Five times a week through seven weeks, total 21 times, drawing mandala was carried out by the experimental group and Mutal Scribble Story Marking(MSSM) was carried out by the parallel group. To verify the effect of drawing mandala, 'Coping Inventory for Stressful Situation' revised by Shin Hyun-suk in 2003 and 'Perception of Stress' developed by Kim Yong-bok in 2001 were used.
First of all, the reliability of test sheets for 'Coping Inventory for Stressful Situation' and 'Perception of Stress' was checked with 350 first and second graders. Then the preliminary test of 'Coping Inventory for Stressful Situation' and 'Perception of Stress' of the three groups was carried out. The homogeneity was analyzed by a one-way ANOVA of the result of the test. After the homogeneity was verified, the experiment was carried out. The subjects generally perceived the stress over the normal level and had the stress coping ability over the normal level. And the higher their grades were, the more difficulty they felt. But distinction of sex didn't give statistical significance.
The after-test of 'Coping Inventory for Stressful Situation' and 'Perception of Stress' of the three groups followed. And then the level of their changes in the whole and subordinate field were analyzed by a two-way ANOVA.
The results of this study can be summarized as follows:
First, the comparison of the three groups' average score of each subordinate field in coping for stressful situation showed that drawing mandala was more effective than storytelling squiggle technique. Drawing mandala was effective in improving middle school students' ability of coping for task-oriented and emotion-oriented stressful situation. And storytelling squiggle technique improved students' avoidance-oriented ability of coping for stressful situation.
Second, the comparison of the three groups' average score of each subordinate field in Perception of Stress showed that drawing mandala was effective. Especially, it was most effective in the decrease of perception in students' future and self-identity and teacher and school factor, which circumstance, relation, recreation and friends factor followed in order. Storytelling squiggle technique showed a meaningful difference in the parents and circumstance factor. On the other hand, it showed no effects on the decrease of the level of the Perception of Stress
In conclusion, this study provided the possibility of drawing mandala as a mental therapy for general students in a preventive level by showing that the ability of coping for stressful situation was improved and the level of perception of stress was lowered by drawing mandala. Also, it showed that drawing mandala could be used as a way of group art therapy in school counseling. This study is significant in that it improved the negative understanding of school counseling.