Purpose: This study was conducted to find out the effects of colour by number mandala in decreasing the stress of hospitalized children with chronic disease.

Design: A randomized controlled study. Methods: This study was conducted with 120 children between the ages of 8 and 11. 60 children formed the experimental group, while 60 children formed the control group. Descriptive Information Form and Perceived Stress Scale were used in data collection.

Experimental group: The children, along with their parents, were interviewed by one of the researchers on their first day of hospitalisation. The parents were informed about the Descriptive Information Form and the Perceived Stress Scale for Children, which the researcher filled out in the presence of the children and their parents. The children were then given a colour-by-number mandala and colouring pencils. A different colour-by-number mandala was given to each participant every day; the mean length of hospital stay was 3 days. At the end of the third day, the same researcher interviewed the children and filled out again the Perceived Stress Scale for Children.

Inclusion Criteria:

• parents who agreed to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• visually impaired child
• mentally retarded child
• speech impaired children