Authors
Emma C Palmer-Cooper, Hannah Walmsley, Caitlin Foster, Evie Woodford, Rose Seneviratne
Published in
Journal of mental health (Abingdon, England). Pages 1-11. Sep 18, 2026. Epub Sep 18, 2026.
Abstract
Mindful colouring is a low-effort intervention that improves student wellbeing and mindfulness. However, the effectiveness of different colouring formats remains unclear.
This study evaluated a self-guided mindful colouring intervention for university student wellbeing, comparing outcomes between paper and digital formats.
In this quasi-experimental study (non-random time-based allocation), 297 participants between 18-26 years of age completed ≥6 colouring sessions over two weeks in their allocated format (paper: n = 134; digital: n = 163). Participants self-reported perceived stress (PSS), anxiety (STAI-S/T), depression (HADS-D), quality-of-life (MQLI), and dispositional mindfulness (MAAS). Effects over time and group were investigated with linear mixed‑effects models.
Across both groups, mindful colouring was associated with significant improvements in stress (η2p = .26), mindfulness (η2p = .10), quality-of-life (η2p = .12), and self-reported symptoms of depression (η2p = .17), trait anxiety (η2p = .16), and state anxiety (η2p = .03). Results highlight that poorer baseline wellbeing led to larger improvements. There were no significant time x group interactions.
Mindful colouring is a feasible, low-cost, scalable intervention that is associated with improved student wellbeing over two weeks. Digital colouring may therefore be suitable to enhance accessibility and portability of intervention materials in resource-limited settings.
PMID:
42755287
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 18 Sep 2026.
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