Colour preferences among individuals with common mental health disorders: a scoping review

Colours have been used as a complementary aid in the treatment of physical and mental disorders for centuries. There is substantial anecdotal evidence supporting the use of colours in therapeutic contexts, but scientific evidence remains limited. This review aimed to map existing literature on colour preferences among individuals with common mental health disorders, examine patterns across different diagnostic categories, and identify differences compared to healthy participants.

A comprehensive literature search was conducted in four databases. This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guide for scoping reviews. Studies that assessed the favourite or preferred colour of individuals diagnosed with mental health disorders were reviewed. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Quality Assessment with Diverse Studies (QuADS) and Elliot's guide for evaluating the quality of colour and psychological research.

A total of 16 studies met the inclusion criteria. Colour preferences were generally assessed using the Lüscher colour test, coloured cardboards, or digital colour representation. Distinct preferences for colours were observed across diagnostic categories-blue was preferred among those with depressive disorders, grey among those with anxiety-related disorders, and black among those with schizophrenia. Achromatic colours such as black or grey were not preferred by healthy participants. Healthy populations exhibited geographical variation in colour preferences, with European participants tending to prefer blue, while Asian participants preferred red and yellow. In contrast, no clear geographical patterns were observed among individuals with mental health disorders; preference patterns varied according to the diagnostic category.

Colour preferences differed noticeably across various categories of common mental health disorders and from those of healthy individuals.

The scoping review protocol was registered in the Open Science Framework and the URL: https://osf.io/khr8q.