Integration of Visual Arts Methods in Education: Reducing Stress, Enhancing Introspection, and Emotional Well-Being
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59519/mper7108Keywords:
Visual art, Art Therapy, Stress reduction, CreativityAbstract
Contemporary global trends, marked by increasing levels of stress
and anxiety, underscore the need for innovative approaches in
education, visual arts and therapy. The therapeutic potential of
artistic activities within educational settings highlighting their
contribution to stress reduction, enhancement of emotional and
cognitive abilities.
This study analyzes the impact of artistic activity on the emotional
and cognitive state of students, with a focus on the therapeutic
application of drawing as a method for reducing stress assessing
their emotional states before and after participation in the
exercises. The aim was to examine how artistic expression can
affect emotional stability and to explore the potential of this
method in the educational process. The workshop integrated
artistic, pedagogical and therapeutic approaches, positioning
drawing as a powerful tool for enhancing emotional well-being
and cognitive abilities. The research included 21 participants,
fourth year students, who took part in the art activity. Quantitative
analysis showed that emotions related to happiness, such as
“joyful,” increased by 52.89%, calmness by 47.93%, while
negative emotions such as “nervous” decreased by 48.19%. An
questionnaire revealed that 85.71% of participants felt relaxed
after the workshop, while 100% reported a reduction in stress.
References
Anderson, A. (2014). Arts integration and special education: An inclusive theory of action for student engagement. ISBN 9780415744188
Bajraktarević, J. (2013). Psihologija edukaijskog procesa. Sarajevo: Avery d.o.o.
Bajraktarević, J. (2015). Mentalno zdravlje. Sarajevo: Avery d.o.o.
Bajraktarević, J. (2022). Kreativne metode u obrazovanju: Razvoj ličnosti i kreativnosti kod studenata. Sarajevo: Fakultet za humanističke nauke.
Buchanan, V., López-Martínez, A., et al. (2016). Art therapy: Programs, uses, and benefits. Nova Science Publishers.
Cohen-Yatziv, L., & Regev, D. (2019). The effectiveness of art therapy with children and adolescents: A systematic review of literature. SAGE Open.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2006). Flow. Očaravajuća obuzetost. Jaterbebarski, Naklada Slap.
Dobronić, T. (2020). Metodika nastave likovne kulture: Upravljanje emocijama pomoću stvaralačkog procesa. Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Akademija likovnih umjetnosti. urn:nbn:hr:215:177409
Gersch, I., & Sao Joao Goncalves, S. (2006). Creative arts therapies and educational psychology: Let’s get together. International Journal of Art Therapy, 11(1), 22 32. https://doi.org/10.1080/17454830600674050
Hu, Y., Lyu, R., & Liu, X. (2021). Is the emotional mapping of lines caused by the motion they imply? In Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society (Vol. 43, No. 43).
Ivanović, N., & Vučković, D. (2012). Art terapija i analitička psihologija. https://individuacija.hr/art-terapija/
Ivanović, N., Barun, I., & Jovanović, N. (2014). Art terapija – teorijske postavke, razvoj i klinička primjena. Socijalna psihijatrija, 42, 190–198.
Jonauskaite, D., & Mohr, C. (2025). Do we feel colours? A systematic review of 128 years of psychological research linking colours and emotions. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-024-02615-z
Kabat-Zinn J. (2005). Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illnes. New York: Delta.
Kapetanović, S. (2023). Art terapija i fraktalni crtež kao terapijski metod u radu sa djecom mlađeg školskog uzrasta. Akademija strukovnih studija, Beograd.
Kovačević, J. (2023). Umjetnost i dobrobit: Likovno stvaralaštvo u službi mentalnoga zdravlja. Sveučilište Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku, Fakultet za odgojne i obrazovne znanosti.
Linkevicius, T., Puisys, A., Linkevicius, R., Alkimavicius, J., Gineviciute, E., & Linkeviciene, L. (2020). The influence of submerged healing abutment or subcrestal implant placement on soft tissue thickness and crestal bone stability: Clinical Implant Dentistry and Related Research, 22(4), 497–506. https://doi.org/10.1111/cid.12903
N. Hass Cohen, J.Clyde Findlay, L.Cozolino, F. Kaplan, 2015, Art Therapy and the Neuroscience of Relationships, Creativity, and Resiliency: Skills and Practices Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology, W. W. Norton & Company
McLeod, S. (2025). Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, 2007, DOI:10.5281/zenodo.15240896
Malchiodi, C. A. (2012). Art therapy and the brain. In C. A. Malchiodi (Ed.), Handbook of art therapy (2nd ed., pp. 17–26). The Guilford Press. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2012-03899-002
Mazzola, R, S. (2023). Art terapija u odgojno-obrazovnom sustavu. Art-terapijski transfer. Hrvatska udruga za art terapiju (HART). Vol. 2 Vol. 1 No. 1, https://hrcak.srce.hr/artterapijski-transfer
Mikulec, S. (2015). Neuroestetika: Znanstvena istraživanja percepcije umjetnosti. Gyrus, 3 (1). https://doi.org/10.17486/gyr.3.1001
Oatley, K.; Jenkins, M.J. 1998. Razumijevanje emocija. Naklada Slap. Zagreb.
Peić, M. (1968). Pristup likovnom djelu, Zagreb, Školska Knjiga
Petric, L. (2015). Dijete i likovno umjetničko djelo. Zagreb: Alfa
Pleić, M., Leutar, Z. (2019). Mindfulness u socijalnom radu. Socijalne teme: Časopis za pitanja socijalnog rada i srodnih znanosti, 1(6), 27 50. https://hrcak.srce.hr/clanak/339285
Potočnik, R. (Ur.). (2022). Innovative learning and teaching for quality careers of graduates and excellent higher education: Arts didactics in higher education. Ljubljana: Pedagoška fakulteta, Univerza v Ljubljani.
Potočnik, R. (2018). Innovative learning and teaching: Arts didactics in higher education. Ljubljana: Pedagoška fakulteta, Univerza v Ljubljani.
Pšihistal, A. (2021). Utjecaj art terapijskih sadržaja na socijalne i komunikacijske vještine učenika s poremećajem iz autističnog spektra u razrednoj nastavi. Sveučilište Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku.
M. Roguljić, S. (n.d.). Art terapija u odgojno-obrazovnom sustavu. Art-terapijski transfer. Hrvatska udruga za art terapiju (HART). https://hrcak.srce.hr/art-terapijski-transfer
Regev, D., & Snir, S. (2015). Art therapy in educational systems: Perceptions of school art therapists. Arts in Psychotherapy.
Sorić, I. (2002). Skala za mjerenje trenutnog emocionalnog stanja. U Zbirka psihologijskih skala i upitnika (str. 50–54). Zadar: Sveučilište u Zadru.
Starc, B.; Čudina Obradović, M.; Pleša, A.; Profaca, B.; Letica, M. 2004. Osobine i psihološki uvjeti razvoja djeteta predškolske dobi. Golden marketing – Tehnička knjiga. Zagreb.
Štalekar, V. (2014). O umjetnosti i psihoterapiji. Socijalna psihijatrija, Vol. 42 No. 3, 180–189. https://hrcak.srce.hr/134764
Škrbina, D. (2013):Art terapija i kreativnost,Veble comerce. Hrvatska, ISBN: 9789532511512
Turković, V. (2002). Dijalog prirode i kulture kroz likovnu umjetnost. Socijalna ekologija, 11(4), 317-330. https:// https://hrcak.srce.hr/139501
Van Lith, T. (2016). Art therapy in mental health: A systematic review of approaches and practices. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 47, 9–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2015.09.003
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Maja Žmukić, Martina Kosec, Jasna Bajraktarević, Viktor Gurović (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
