V.A. Semiletova1, N.A. Nagibina2

1,2 Voronezh State Medical University named after N. N. Burdenko (Voronezh, Russia)

1 vera2307@mail.ru, 2 nagibina.natalya@yandex.ru

Sand art therapy—drawing on a sand table with colored light—is frequently used in psychological practice to prevent emotional distress in children and adults. While it produces good results, the mechanisms by which sand art therapy affects the human brain have not been studied. Therefore, understanding the changes that occur in the brain of a healthy person as a result of sand table work is a pressing issue. The impact of sand art therapy on the human brain was assessed using electroencephalography (EEG).

Aim – to study the EEG mechanisms by which a sand art therapy session influences the body of a healthy adult.

Twenty-three first- and second-year students at VSMU participated in the study; 13 participants constituted the experimental group and 10 participants constituted the comparison group. Before and after the sand art therapy session, students in the experimental group had their electroencephalogram (EEG) recorded using the Encephalan-SA software. A backlit sand table was used for the sand art therapy session; the subject chose the sand table's backlight color from a list of acceptable colors. Students in the comparison group also had their EEG recorded using the Encephalan-SA software before and after rest, while sitting at rest with their eyes closed, without the sand art therapy session. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics v.26.

A decrease in alpha rhythm power in T3 and a decrease in beta1 and beta2 rhythm power in F3 were observed under the influence of the sand art therapy session. After the sand art therapy session, a decrease in the alpha/theta power ratio in the T3 lead was demonstrated. The functional system formed during sand table therapy is reflected in the anterior regions of the brain and is reflected in changes in the ratio of individual EEG rhythms in the temporal and frontal regions of the dominant hemisphere.

The obtained results do not allow sand art therapy to be considered solely a relaxation technique. Rather, it is more appropriate to consider it a strategy for resolving personal conflict. This facilitates the most effective use of this technique.

Semiletova V.A., Nagibina N.A. Electroencephalographic mechanisms of the influence of a sand-art therapeutic session on the body of a healthy adult. Technologies of Living Systems. 2026. V. 23. № 2. Р. 46-54. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18127/j20700997-202602-04 (In Russian).

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