Effect of Mandala Art Therapy on Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients

Dadashi, Nasrin; Khanali Mojen, Leila; Ilkhani, Mahnaz; Nasirie, Maliheh; Mirzaee, Hamid Reza; Boozaripour, Mahsa

doi:10.31557/APJCP.2025.26.7.2533

Effect of Mandala Art Therapy on Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients

Document Type : Research Articles

Authors

¹ Student Research Committee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

² Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

³ Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

⁴ Department of Basic Sciences, School of Nursing and Midwifery Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

⁵ Department of Radiotherapy, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medic.al Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

10.31557/APJCP.2025.26.7.2533

Abstract

Objective: Cancer diagnosis and treatment tends to negatively impact a person’s Quality of Life (QoL). Art therapy can serve as a complementary measure to oncology care. This study aimed to examine the effect of mandala art therapy on the QoL of breast cancer patients. Methods: The present quasi-experimental study was conducted on 70 breast cancer patients recruited from a teaching hospital in Tehran, Iran. Eligible patients were assigned non-randomly to the control and intervention groups. The EORTC QLQ-C30 was used to assess QoL before and immediately after the intervention period. The intervention consisted of six coloring sessions over two weeks. Data were analyzed through SPSS (v. 20). Results: While the two groups’ mean global QoL scores were not significantly different prior to the intervention (P=0.693), they were after the intervention (44.76±16.67) in the intervention group versus 34.28±19.04 in the control group), indicating a statistically significant improvement in QoL in the intervention group relative to the control (P=0.001). Comparing the dimensions of the EORTC QLQ-C30 between the two groups revealed statistically significant differences in all functional scales except Role and multiple symptom scales, including Fatigue, Pain, Appetite Loss, and Insomnia (P<0.05). Conclusion: Mandala art therapy in the form of coloring mandala patterns can improve the QoL of breast cancer patients and is therefore recommended as a non-invasive, supportive, complementary treatment for these patients in clinical and palliative settings.

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