The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy in Nursing Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Journal of Nursing Education April 1, 2026 DOI: 10.3928/01484834-20251119-01 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 53 |
| Population | Nursing students |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT) |
| Duration | 8-week intervention, with posttest and follow-up assessments |
| Measures | Critical Thinking Disposition scale, Self-Confidence scale |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Nursing students who completed an 8-week mindfulness-based art therapy program showed higher mean scores on critical thinking disposition and self-confidence than a no-intervention control group at posttest and follow-up (p < .001), while the groups did not differ significantly at pretest. The authors conclude that MBAT effectively enhances these outcomes. |
Abstract
Background: Critical thinking and self-confidence are important concepts for nursing students. This study aimed to investigate the effects of mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT) on the critical thinking dispositions and self-confidence levels of nursing students.
Method: A randomized controlled trial was conducted using a parallel-group design with pretest and posttest measurements. A total of 53 nursing students completed the study. The intervention group participated in an 8-week MBAT program, whereas the control group received no intervention during this period.
Results: During the pretest phase, the intervention and control groups showed no statistically significant differences in their mean scores on the Critical Thinking Disposition and Self-Confidence scales ( p > .05). However, following the MBAT program, the intervention group showed notably higher mean scores than the control group in both the posttest and follow-up assessments ( p < .001).
Conclusion: The findings indicate that MBAT effectively enhances critical thinking disposition and self-confidence levels in nursing students.