Expressive writing and positive writing for participants with mood disorders: an online randomized controlled trial
Abstract
Introduction Expressive writing--writing about traumatic, stressful or emotional events--often leads to improvements in physical and psychological health in non-clinical and clinical populations. Recent studies have shown that positive writing may also be beneficial. Research has not yet investigated whether either expressive writing or positive writing offers benefits for people with mood disorders.Method Participants were recruited online and were randomly allocated to expressive writing, positive writing or control writing. The following questionnaires were completed online: Centre for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS), Pennebaker Inventory of Limbic Languidness (PILL), overall health questions, Temperament and Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) and COPE Inventory (COPE). Participants then wrote for 20 min on 4 occasions, and then completed follow-up questionnaires.Results Linear mixed models with custom contrasts were conducted to assess differences between groups and over time. All 3 groups showed significant improvements over time on mental health and some physical health outcomes. There were no significant differences between groups and no significant group by time interactions. These results were not moderated by demographic factors, personality subtypes or coping styles.Conclusion The expressive writing, positive writing and time management control writing groups all reported significantly fewer mental and physical symptoms for at least 4 months post-writing. When expressive and positive writing groups were combined, the resulting `emotional writing group' showed significantly lower scores on the DASS stress subscale than the control writing group at all time-points. Potential reasons are discussed and areas of further study identified.
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Therapeutic writing is often followed by an immediate increase of negative mood.
“The latter is being implemented to account for the well-established finding, that therapeutic writing is often followed by an immediate increase of negative mood (Baikie et al., 2012; McGuire et al., n.d.; Wetherell et al., 2005; Frattaroli, 2006; Nyssen et al., 2016).”
Writing interventions are easily translatable into an online offer because instructions to write can be highly standardized and directive.
“As instructions to write can be highly standardized and directive, writing interventions are easily translatable into an online offer (Baikie et al., 2012; Stockton et al., 2014; Goss and Anthony, 2004).”
Writing approaches have been frequently investigated in the context of physical and mental wellbeing.
“Meanwhile, writing approaches have been frequently investigated in the context of physical and mental wellbeing (Krpan et al., 2013; Baikie et al., 2012; Meston et al., 2013; Kállay, 2015).”
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- Authors
- Baikie, K. A., Geerligs, L., & Wilhelm, K.
- Affiliations
- Black Dog Institute (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Wilhelm, Kay
- Venue
- Journal of Affective Disorders
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2012-02
- Volume
- 136
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 310-319
- ISSN
- 0165-0327 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2025611158
- Cited by
- 150
- References
- 69
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 7.40
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Affective Disorders (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health via Writing
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Conservation › Art Therapy and Mental Health
- Keywords
- expressive writing, mood disorders, depression, anxiety, stress, emotional writing, mental health, physical health, coping styles, personality, online intervention
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Emotions, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Surveys and Questionnaires, Writing, Mood Disorders, Internet
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