Abstract
This quasi-experimental study aimed to examine the effectiveness of abstract art making in
reducing symptoms of stress in a sample of healthcare workers. Work-related stress and burnout
had been linked to high employee turnover rates and a shortage of workers in various positions in
the healthcare field. This study examined seven healthcare workers recruited from a hospital in
the North East, who participated in a single 45-minute session to examine the effectiveness of the
acrylic pour abstract art making. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was used as a pretestposttest
measure to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. Participants were also
administered a short questionnaire to assess their attitude towards stress levels and creativity.
Quantitative data was analyzed to determine any changes in burnout symptoms and stress levels.
Due to a global pandemic, this study was limited to one session of seven participants. Even
though some of the raw scores showed some improvement, the analyzed data did not produce
results that were statistically significant enough to conclude that the art intervention decreased
stress levels.
