Randomized Controlled Trial of Adult Therapeutic Coloring for the Management of Significant Anxiety in the Emergency Department.

Background: Anxiety and acute distress are significant concerns in the emergency department (ED). Adult coloring books are often utilized as an effective means of relaxation in waiting rooms and newsstands, but there are no reported randomized trials examining their effectiveness as a treatment for anxiety.

Methods: We set out to examine the effectiveness of adult coloring books using a randomized placebo-controlled trial at a university-affiliated tertiary ED.