Exploring Pink as a Catalyst for Decreasing Anxiety

ABSTRACT

This research study proposes the use of pink as a catalyst for decreasing anxiety in an art therapy setting. The study also highlights uses and meanings of other colors as well as other forms of treatment for anxiety disorders. A study was conducted by the researcher to determine whether or not the color pink can actually decrease levels of anxiety. Through the task of painting on a canvas for five minutes at a time, the researcher found a positive correlation between the color pink and the decreasing levels of anxiety.

INTRODUCTION

This study was conducted to determine whether or not pink can be helpful with decreasing levels of anxiety. In addition to pink, many colors were researched throughout the course of the study to get a better understanding of color theory and color psychology. The background of anxiety and different forms of treatment was also an important aspect that has been included in the research. The research methodology was a case study which explored the use of painting with the color pink for decreasing anxiety levels. Due to the task that the researcher completed in this study, further research on painting and art therapy was also conducted to see how that could play a different role in the decreasing of anxiety.

COLOR PSYCHOLOGY

There have been many studies done on the effects of color on emotion in controlled groups. Their findings point to clear evidence that color can affect emotion and mood, or at least help determine the feeling of the participants. Annamary performed a study, measuring anxiety in children and determining what certain colors meant to each of them. Pink, blue and yellow were found to be associated with happy emotions and red and black pointed towards negative emotions such as sadness. She found that anxious children preferred pink as a happy color and non-anxious children preferred blue. Both pink and blue were found to have similar calming effects such as relaxation of muscles, lowering blood pressure and calming restless children.

ANXIETY & TREATMENT

The Diagnostic Statistical Manual defines generalized anxiety disorder, as, “excessive anxiety and worry (apprehensive expectation), occurring more days than not for at least six months, about a number of events or activities (such as work or school performance).” A study done by Sandmire, Gorham, Rankin and Grimm (2012), found that making art can significantly reduce a person’s state of anxiety. Chambala (2008) discusses the benefits of art therapy for people who suffer from anxiety as being able to express themselves through their art and identify their strengths and weaknesses through visible depictions of their mental states. Similarly, Withrow (2004) discusses the benefits of focusing on color in an art therapy setting. Benefits include releasing emotions and feelings that clients may not be able to express verbally, tracking progress in therapy, and being able to use color in a non-judgemental, nonrepresentational setting.

PINK

Pink is often associated with hope, good health, innocence, nurturing, romantic love and femininity. These associations bolster the calming effect that the color pink possesses. Annamary (2016) found that pink was attributed to positive emotion and that anxious children preferred pink as their favorite color to shade happy faces. She also found that pink had similar calming abilities to blue, such as relaxation of muscles, lowering blood pressure and calming restless children. From a purely physical standpoint, the color pink is calming because it is a less saturated, dimmer color. Valdez and Mehrabian (1994) found that calmness correlated negatively with brightness. In terms of color theory, pink is correlated to calming effects because of its low saturation and pale traits.

CONCLUSION

Pink is a catalyst for decreasing anxiety. Through the research discussed in this paper, we can conclude that there is a positive correlation between the color pink and minimized levels of anxiety. Therefore, I would recommend to art therapists to utilize pink paint while supporting their patients, especially those with higher levels of anxiety. A new observation that has turned up as a result of this study is the role of painting as a catalyst for decreasing anxiety. Further studies could be done with variable and control groups that help to determine whether or not painting also played a role in the lower levels of anxiety that occurred in this study when painting with the color pink.