A game of colours, changing emotions in children: a pilot study

To analyse the effect of colours on children's emotions and variations in anxiety levels using six different coloured attires, white, pink, yellow, green, purple and black.

Seventy-two children aged between 5-9 years old who had come for restorative treatment in the Department of Paediatric and Preventive Dentistry, I.T.S. Dental College, Muradnagar, Ghaziabad, India were chosen and divided according to Corah's dental anxiety scale into 4 levels of anxiety. Eighteen children from each level were then assigned six different colours (3 children for each colour). A two factor study was conducted to determine the influence of colours, anxiety levels or facial expressions on oxygen saturation levels and pulse rate of the children. Data was analysed using SPSS 16.0 for ANOVA.

There was significant difference between colours influencing oxygen saturation levels (p = 0.001) and pulse rate (p = 0.038). A post-hoc test indicated that black colour was significantly different from most of the other colours. No interaction effect was found to exist between colours and facial expression.

Data suggested that yellow, pink and purple colours may have reduced anxiety among children whereas black colour could have enhanced it.