A comparison on effects of clay art therapy and mandala coloring on emotion regulation, hope and resilience in secondary school students

INTERVENTION: Participants who fulfill the screening test will be randomly assigned to either the clay art intervention group or the mandala coloring group on a 1:1 basis with matched demographics. Each group will receive six weekly sessions of two‐hour art therapy, adopting the different art approaches. The clay art therapy group was conducted by art therapists who were competent in clay art‐making. The sessions includes introduction to the fundamental kneading and pinching techniques in forming basic shapes , surface treatment and integration of various pieces of clay products to produce a 3‐dimensional clay structure. The coloring of mandala group was conducted by a group of expressive arts therapy student‐therapists. The participants were guided by the student‐therapists to color the pre‐drawn mandala form in different shapes by using different art media and coloring techniques. Randomisation process: A reference number will be assigned to each participant to conceal any possible personal identification. Participants will be randomly assigned to either clay art group or waitlist control group on 1:1 basis. Allocation sequence will be generated by computer randomization program. CONDITION: Depression, anxiety and stress disorders ; Mental and Behavioural Disorders PRIMARY OUTCOME: ; Measured at T0 (baseline), T1 (right after intervention) and T2 (6 weeks after intervention):; 1. Mood measured using The Positive and Negative Affectivity Schedule (PANAS); 2. Hope measured using the Adult Trait Hope Scale; 3. Mental health measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS); 4. Resilience measured using the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD‐RISC); 5. Salivary cortisol measured using the “Salivette” kits (Starstedt, Ag & Co., Numbrecht, Germany); SECONDARY OUTCOME: Experiences of the intervention measured using focus groups at completion of the intervention INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Hong Kong senior secondary students, aged between 15 and 18 years 2. Ability to understand and communicate in Cantonese 3. Suitable and able to perform activities in groups during the course of the 6‐week program