While previous studies identify doodling as a useful educational tool, this study sought to determine if doodling can build creative or emotional self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is an individual’s belief in their own capacity to express behaviors necessary to attain specific performance goals. The current study also sought to determine if doodling can be a form of self-care. Research collected was quantitative and qualitative using surveys to measure both creative and emotional self-efficacy along with a doodling activity. Ten participants were recruited through convenience sampling on social media and were included in the study after meeting the inclusion criteria of identifying themselves as a normally functioning adult. Individual times spent on doodling ranged from thirty minutes to three hours. The study took place during the Covid-19 pandemic which impacted the ability to recruit volunteer participants. The researcher collected data from the Emotional Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES) and Creative Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES). The results from this study support the use of doodling in art therapy as well as its effect on an individual’s self-expression and self-efficacy. The research also explores the use of doodling as a form of self-care. Recommendations for future research include expanding the population size and variety, as well as having a facilitator present to guide and witness the process.
Doodling as Self-Expression: Building Self-Efficacy in Normally Functioning Adults
