Structured creative intervention in the function of emotional regulation in mothers of young children: A pilot study

Motherhood of early and preschool-aged children represents a developmentally demanding period characterized by increased emotional, cognitive, and organizational burden. In such a context, there is a growing need for accessible and time-efficient interventions that can contribute to emotional stabilization and reduction of the subjective experience of stress. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a short online creative intervention based on the fractal drawing method on emotional regulation and the experience of stress in mothers of children aged 0 to 7 years. The research was conducted as a pilot pretest–posttest study with a single sample (N = 9). The intervention lasted seven days and included daily fractal drawing for 15–20 minutes. The assessment of changes was conducted using an initial and a final questionnaire. The results indicate a reduction in frustration and feelings of overwhelm in 88.9% of participants, a reduction in anxiety in 66.7%, stabilization of mood in all participants, and improvement in cognitive clarity and perception of creativity. The most pronounced changes were observed in participants who consistently participated throughout the entire program. The results suggest that structured creative activities may have potential as short and accessible interventions for supporting emotional self-regulation in mothers. However, due to methodological limitations, the results should be interpreted as preliminary.