UMIN-ICDS Clinical Trial

Public title

Effects of making scented paint with herbal distilled water on mood and state anxiety

Acronym

Psychological effects of scented paint making

Scientific Title

Examination of new uses of herbs: development of scented paints and evaluation of a program using them

Scientific Title:Acronym

Development of scented herbal paints and evaluation of a program using them

Region

Japan

Condition

Healthy adults

Classification by specialty

Adult

Classification by malignancy

Others

Genomic information

NO

Narrative objectives1

The primary objective is to examine whether making scented paint with herbal distilled water alleviates temporary psychological stress responses (mood stability and state anxiety) more than making unscented paint, in which the herbal distilled water is replaced with purified water and all other conditions are identical; that is, whether the scent has an additional effect beyond the effect of the creative activity itself. As a secondary objective, the positioning of scented paint making as a herb-based program is explored by comparison with herbal soap making, an existing herb-based program.

Basic objectives2

Efficacy

Basic objectives -Others

Trial characteristics_1

Exploratory

Trial characteristics_2

Explanatory

Developmental phase

Not applicable

Primary outcomes

Change in the "stability" score of the Two-Dimensional Mood Scale (TDMS, 8 items) (post minus pre). Timing: before the activity (after 3 minutes of seated rest) and immediately after the end of the activity (approximately 45 minutes after the start of the session). The comparison between the scented paint making group and the unscented paint making group is the primary comparison.

Key secondary outcomes

The following are measured before the activity (after 3 minutes of seated rest) and immediately after the end of the activity (approximately 45 minutes after the start of the session), and changes (post minus pre) are evaluated: (1) changes in the "vitality", "pleasure", and "arousal" scores of the TDMS; (2) change in subjective stress visual analogue scale (VAS, 100 mm); (3) change in the state anxiety score of the new version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI, 20 items).
In addition, (4) a questionnaire on the activity (5-point scale: appropriateness of duration, problems in conducting the session, difficulty of the task, willingness to participate again, satisfaction, enjoyment, perception of herbal scent, preference for the scent, usability and color development of the paint) is administered once after the activity.

Study type

Interventional

Basic design

Parallel

Randomization

Randomized

Randomization unit

Individual

Blinding

Open -no one is blinded

Control

Placebo

Stratification

NO

Dynamic allocation

NO

Institution consideration

Institution is not considered as adjustment factor.

Blocking

YES

Concealment

Numbered container method

No. of arms

3

Purpose of intervention

Prevention

Type of intervention

Behavior,custom

Interventions/Control_1

Scented paint making group (intervention): Participants make paint (water-elutriated pigment 6 g, watercolor medium 4 g, herbal distilled water 3 g) using a 1:1 mixture of rosemary (Marine Blue) and cool mint herbal distilled water. The activity lasts 25 minutes (20 minutes of paint making plus 5 minutes of trial painting on a simple coloring sheet) and is conducted once. No essential oils are used. Total session time including explanations and questionnaires is approximately 60 minutes.

Interventions/Control_2

Unscented paint making group (control 1): The herbal distilled water is replaced with the same amount of purified water (3 g); amounts of pigment and medium, tools, procedures, activity duration (25 minutes: 20 minutes of paint making plus 5 minutes of trial painting), and explanations are identical to the intervention group. Conducted once. Total session time is approximately 60 minutes.

Interventions/Control_3

Herbal soap making group (control 2: reference group representing an existing herb-based program): Participants knead 50 g of soap base with 10 g of the same herbal distilled water as the intervention group in a plastic bag and shape it by hand. The activity lasts 25 minutes (kneading and shaping) and is conducted once. No essential oils are used. Total session time is approximately 60 minutes.

Interventions/Control_4

Interventions/Control_5

Interventions/Control_6

Interventions/Control_7

Interventions/Control_8

Interventions/Control_9

Interventions/Control_10

Age-lower limit

18

years-old

<=

Age-upper limit

65

years-old

>

Gender

Male and Female

Key inclusion criteria

Undergraduate and graduate students of Tokyo University of Agriculture aged 18 years or older who have received an explanation of this study and have given written informed consent.

Key exclusion criteria

(1) History of allergy to the herbs used (rosemary Marine Blue, cool mint), fragrances, soap, or paints/pigments
(2) Skin disease
(3) Respiratory disease such as asthma
(4) Pregnancy
(All are self-reported and confirmed at application and on the day of the experiment.)

Target sample size

30

Name of lead principal investigator

1st name	Kenta
Middle name
Last name	Abe

Organization

Tokyo University of Agriculture

Division name

Department of Agricultural Innovation for Sustainable Society, Faculty of Agriculture

Zip code

2430034

Address

1737 Funako, Atsugi-shi, Kanagawa 243-0034, Japan

TEL

0462706616

Email

ka207934@nodai.ac.jp

Name of contact person

1st name	Kenta
Middle name
Last name	Abe

Organization

Tokyo University of Agriculture

Division name

Department of Agricultural Innovation for Sustainable Society, Faculty of Agriculture

Zip code

2430034

Address

1737 Funako, Atsugi-shi, Kanagawa 243-0034, Japan

TEL

0462706616

Homepage URL

Email

ka207934@nodai.ac.jp

Institute

Tokyo University of Agriculture

Institute

Department

Personal name

Kenta Abe

Organization

None.

Organization

Division

Category of Funding Organization

Other

Nationality of Funding Organization

Japan

Co-sponsor

Name of secondary funder(s)

Organization

Tokyo University of Agricuture

Address

1737 Funako, Atsugi-shi, Kanagawa-ken 243-0034 Japan

Tel

0462706616

Email

ka207934@nodai.ac.jp

Secondary IDs

NO

Study ID_1

Org. issuing International ID_1

Study ID_2

Org. issuing International ID_2

IND to MHLW

Institutions

東京農業大学（神奈川県）

Date of disclosure of the study information

2026

Year

11

Month

07

Day

URL releasing protocol

Publication of results

Unpublished

URL related to results and publications

Number of participants that the trial has enrolled

Results

Results date posted

Results Delayed

Results Delay Reason

Date of the first journal publication of results

Baseline Characteristics

Participant flow

Adverse events

Outcome measures

Plan to share IPD

IPD sharing Plan description

Recruitment status

Preinitiation

Date of protocol fixation

2026

Year

11

Month

10

Day

Date of IRB

Anticipated trial start date

2026

Year

11

Month

10

Day

Last follow-up date

2026

Year

11

Month

15

Day

Date of closure to data entry

Date trial data considered complete

Date analysis concluded

Other related information

Registered date

2026

Year

11

Month

07

Day

Last modified on

2026

Year

11

Month

07

Day

Link to view the page

Value
https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000072731