In 2007, over 45 years after Jung’s death, The American Psychological Association conducted a study to examine the healing impact of mandalas on mental health. The study examined the benefits of processing traumatic events through the creation of mandalas for those suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Relative to those in the control group, individuals assigned to the experimental mandala-creation group reported greater decreases in depression, anxiety, and the frequency of physical illness at the one month follow up. More recent studies have further demonstrated that colouring mandalas have the same effect as that of meditation. Colouring books have thus become a meditative pastime.