From philosophy to clinical psychology, art has been considered as a way to process emotions. However, science still debates which part of the benefit is really due to creativity and which to secondary factors such as distraction or body movement.
To clarify it, the researchers designed an experiment with 100 participants who performed two tasks on different days: paint an abstract picture or solve labyrinths. Both activities had the same duration and level of interaction, but only a creative era.
The results were overwhelming. In both groups moods improved, but only painting produced a significant reduction in anxiety.
The most striking thing was that this effect was accompanied by greater physiological reactivity: the heart rate of the participants was more variable and intense while painting. Although it may sound contradictory, researchers compare it with the “meditation paradox”: certain practices, such as active exercise or meditation, generate body activation while producing mental calm.
In other words, art does not reassure quietly, but by a creative activation that helps regulate emotions.
Another key finding was the influence of boredom. When people felt less boring, they achieved greater reductions in anxiety. Painting was much more enveloping and motivating than solving labyrinths, which explains part of its effectiveness.
The message is simple: painting is not only a recreational activity, but an accessible resource to manage anxiety. In an increasingly stressed world, a canvas and some colors can become allies to give us well -being.
Source: Bellaiche, L., Lihardo, K., Williams, C., Chaffee, J., Labar, Ks, & Seli, P. (2025). Selective Emotion Regulation in Creative Art Production: Psychophysiological Reactivity During Painting Reduces Anxiety. Iscience, 28 (6), 112543. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2025.112543
Written by: Iara Sansberro-Tec Sup in Artotherapy
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