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Does altering the writing instructions influence outcome associated with written disclosure?
Denise M Sloan1, Brian P Marx, Eva M Epstein
1Temple University, USA.
Behavior Therapy
|May 15, 2007
Summary
Writing about emotions significantly improved psychological and physical health in traumatized college students with posttraumatic stress symptoms. Emphasizing emotional expression in written disclosure is key for better health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Trauma Studies
- Health Psychology
Background:
- Traumatized college students often experience posttraumatic stress symptoms.
- Written disclosure is a common intervention, but its effectiveness can vary.
- Instructional sets may influence outcomes of written disclosure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how different instructional sets for written disclosure affect psychological and physical health.
- To compare the impact of emotional expression versus insight-focused writing.
- To evaluate outcomes in college students with current posttraumatic stress symptoms.
Main Methods:
- 82 traumatized college students with PTSD symptoms were randomly assigned to three groups.
- Writing conditions included emotional expression (EE), insight/cognitive assimilation, and a control.
- Psychological and physical health, and psychophysiological reactivity were measured.
Main Results:
- The emotional expression (EE) group showed significant improvements in psychological and physical health after 1 month.
- EE participants exhibited greater initial psychophysiological reactivity and subsequent habituation.
- Compared to insight or control groups, EE writing yielded superior health benefits.
Conclusions:
- Emphasizing emotional expression in written disclosure is crucial for improving health in traumatized students.
- Modifying written disclosure protocols can significantly impact therapeutic outcomes.
- Further research should explore optimal methods for written disclosure interventions.
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