The Connection Between Creating Art and Reducing Negative Emotions: The Case for Drop-In Art Centers on College Campuses

Live Poster Session: Zoom Link

Jared Levine
Jared Levine

Psychology, 2021

Abstract: The objective was to determine whether creating art can reduce negative emotions. Method: Participants completed quantitative emotion measures and a narrative. Then, the participants engaged in art creation on four consecutive days. Each day, the participants completed assessments. When the four days were completed, participants were again asked to complete measures. Results: A more intense experience of positive emotions after creating art on Day 1 predicted lower levels of dissatisfaction with self and sadness after the four art creation days. Conclusion: The positive emotions sparked by the first day of art creation had an ‘undoing effect’ on negative emotions.

Thesis-Poster-3