Abstract
The practice of mandala making is a well-documented therapeutic intervention
commonly used in art therapy. Based on Jungian archetypal symbolism found in
mandalas, the Mandala Assessment Research Instrument (MARI) was developed by art
therapist Joan Kellogg (1978) as a psychological assessment. The MARI process
consists of the creation of a mandala, followed by specific symbol and color selection.
The synthesizing of color and symbol offers a representation of an individual’s
psychological state at the time of the MARI process. According to professional art
therapy research to date, the use of the MARI in art therapy is not well-documented.
Thus, this literature review outlines areas of current research that are most prevalent and
identifies where additional research is needed. As a result of this researcher’s findings,
this literature review culminates with a proposed future study.
