title: Effect of calligraphy training on hyperarousal symptoms for childhood survivors of the 2008 China earthquakes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study investigated the treatment effects of calligraphy therapy on childhood survivors of the 2008 Sichuan earthquakes in the People's Republic of China.
  
  
  METHODS
  In experiment 1, 129 children participated in a 30-day calligraphic training, and 81 children were controls. The Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale was adopted to assess behavioral effects. Experiment 2 involved 41 treatment subjects and 39 controls, with the same procedure as in experiment 1 except that salivary cortisol level was also measured as a physiological indicator.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 30 days of calligraphy treatment, the arousal symptoms and salivary cortisol levels in the experimental group decreased from 5.72±0.31 and 13.34±2.88 to 4.98±0.31 and 9.99±2.81, respectively. In the control group, there was not a significant decrease from pretest to post-test. In addition, the arousal scores in posttest (4.98±4.39) were significantly lower than midtest (5.71±4.14) for girls; in contrast, for boys, posttest (4.90±4.24) showed little change compared with midtest (5.04±4.36), but both were significantly lower than pretest (6.42±4.59).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Calligraphy therapy was effective in reducing hyperarousal symptoms among child survivors.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhuohong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Richu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Henry Sr
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.affiliation: Sichuan Judicial and Police Officers Professional College, Deyang, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zong
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhengkui
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Linguistics, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ivy Cy
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: International Society of Calligraphy Therapy, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Stewart Pw
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Lam
keywords: China earthquakes; PTSD; calligraphy therapy; salivary cortisol