ArticleConsortium psychiatricum2026
Effects of Mandala Coloring on Alpha Brain Activity and Anxiety Symptoms among Students at Universiti Sains Malaysia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Article in Consortium psychiatricum, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundUniversity students commonly experience stress and anxiety, which can negatively affect their academic performance. Mandala coloring has gained attention as a therapeutic art-based activity that may help alleviate symptoms of anxiety. Changes in brain activity, particularly in the alpha power, are known to reflect psychological states and responses to interventions.
aimThis study investigated the effects of mandala coloring on alpha brain activity and anxiety symptoms among students at Universiti Sains Malaysia.
methodsIn a randomized experimental study, sixty students aged 18 to 25 years (M=22.97, SD=1.03) with moderate to high anxiety levels were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (
resultsBoth groups showed reductions in anxiety symptoms over time, with no significant differences between groups (F(1; 56)=0.03,
conclusionMandala coloring was associated with increased frontal alpha power, suggesting enhanced relaxation and focused attention. Anxiety symptoms decreased in both coloring groups, indicating that coloring in general may support emotional regulation and well-being. Taken together, these findings suggest that coloring-based activities may serve as useful therapeutic tools for reducing anxiety and improving focus among university students.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.