Does Mandala Art Improve Psychological Well-Being in Patients? A Systematic Review

Objectives: Psychological disorders and symptoms are common and can significantly impair functioning in some areas in patients. We aimed to investigate the effects of mandala art (MA) on psychological well-being in patients. Design: A systematic review. Methods: We did a systematic review to assess the associations between MA and psychological well-being among patients. A systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trial databases was conducted by independent reviewers from database inception to April 2023. We include randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, and qualitative studies. Outcome measures included any measurement of subjective and objective psychological well-being outcomes, such as stress, anxiety, depression, distress, mindfulness, hope, resilience, pain, mood, fatigue, and trauma symptoms. Results: Eleven studies of 405 participants were identified in the systematic review. Overall, the included studies provided preliminary evidence to suggest that MA may improve negative symptoms and hope, relieving pain, and reducing some physiological indicators of stress in patients. However, the quality of the existing evidence limited the generalization of results. Conclusions: According to the current evidence, the therapeutic benefits of using mandalas for improving the psychological well-being of patients are uncertain. More well-designed and high-quality studies in the field of MA are needed in the future.