A Qualitative Study on the Therapeutic and Educational Effects of Calligraphy Experiences for Nursing Students

Abstract

Purpose: This study explored the therapeutic and educational effects of calligraphy experiences on nursing students and sought to gain a deeper understanding of how this arts-based learning affects students' emotional stability and internalization of professional values. Method: A 120-minute calligraphy program was conducted with 156 first-year nursing students at K University, and qualitative content analysis was employed. Data were collected through triangulation, including students' calligraphy works, verbal statements about their experiences, and the researcher's observation records. Results:This study categorized the students' experiences into four core categories; “emotional liberating and self-healing”, “enhancing self-efficacy and motivating”, “recharging through aesthetic immersion” and “expanding of empathetic relationships and reflecting professional identity”. Conclusion: Calligraphy experiences were found to have a healing function that relieves students' stress, as well as educational effects that embody the values of empathy and care and cultivate professional identity. This suggests that calligraphy can be an effective arts-based educational strategy for nurturing nursing talent that combines scientific knowledge and artistic sensitivity. Therefore, further research is needed to systematically introduce art-based programs into nursing education curricula and verify their long-term effects.