Drawing Calm: Effects of Zentangle Art Therapy in a Psychosocial Rehabilitation Centre

Abstract Mindfulness-based art activities such as Zentangle may offer an accessible and cost-effective way to enhance leisure experiences and reduce stress for people living with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Zentangle art therapy on leisure satisfaction and perceived stress among individuals with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder residing in psychosocial rehabilitation centers. A quasi-experimental study with pre-test–post-test control group and multiple follow-ups was conducted among 30 residents from a selected psychosocial rehabilitation center. Participants were allocated to an experiment (n = 15) or control group (n = 15). The experimental group participated in 60-min Zentangle art sessions on alternate days for two weeks, followed by two weeks of supervised self-practice, while the control group continued with routine care. Leisure satisfaction and perceived stress were assessed at baseline, at two weeks, and at four weeks. Repeated measures ANCOVA were used to examine the changes over time, while adjusting for age and gender. The experimental group showed steady and sustained improvements in leisure satisfaction along with reductions in perceived stress over time. Adjusting for age and gender, repeated-measures ANCOVA showed a significant interaction effect for leisure satisfaction (F = 46.82, p < .001, partial η 2 = .64) and perceived stress (F = 12.49, p = .001, partial η 2 = .32). Hence, the researchers concluded that Zentangle art therapy is an effective, practical, low-cost, and an engaging leisure-based intervention for the residents of psychosocial rehabilitation centers.