Mandala Drawing: Facilitating Creative Growth in Children with ADD or ADHD

Abstract

Using a single-subject, multiple-baseline research design, this study investigates the creative growth and behavioral changes precipitated by the work done in art therapy through the employment of the mandala as an active centering device with children who have been diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), accompanied by a history of impulsivity. During specified intervals of treatment, a drawing was requested, “Draw a person picking an apple from a tree,” and rated according to the guidelines of the Formal Elements Art Therapy Scale (FEATS). Through examination of the drawings and objective findings of this scale, it appears that a visual measurement of creative growth was achieved. Preliminary findings indicate that the mandala exercise has the effect of increasing attentional abilities and decreasing impulsive behaviors over time, allowing for better decision making, completion of task, general growth in developmental level, and an interest in personal aesthetics.

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