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Cited by 472Mental Health via WritingPsychological Well-being and Life SatisfactionIdentity, Memory, and Therapy

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 74 of the 74 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

The costs and benefits of writing, talking, and thinking about life's triumphs and defeats.

Open access
Lyubomirsky, Sonja, Sousa, Lorie, Dickerhoof, Rene·2006·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
DOI 10.1037/0022-3514.90.4.692
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Abstract

Three studies considered the consequences of writing, talking, and thinking about significant events. In Studies 1 and 2, students wrote, talked into a tape recorder, or thought privately about their worst (N = 96) or happiest experience (N = 111) for 15 min each during 3 consecutive days. In Study 3 (N = 112), students wrote or thought about their happiest day; half systematically analyzed, and half repetitively replayed this day. Well-being and health measures were administered before each study's manipulation and 4 weeks after. As predicted, in Study 1, participants who processed a negative experience through writing or talking reported improved life satisfaction and enhanced mental and physical health relative to those who thought about it. The reverse effect for life satisfaction was observed in Study 2, which focused on positive experiences. Study 3 examined possible mechanisms underlying these effects. Students who wrote about their happiest moments--especially when analyzing them--experienced reduced well-being and physical health relative to those who replayed these moments. Results are discussed in light of current understanding of the effects of processing life events.

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Research works printed but not linked: 7

  1. Chesterton, 1905, Heretics.
  2. Foa, 1993, Post-traumatic stress disorder in rape victims., Vol. 12, 273
  3. Fredrick, 1999, Hedonic adaptation., 302
  4. 10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.218 · DOI · Paper page
  5. Horowitz, 1993, Stress response syndromes and their treatment., 757
  6. Pennebaker, 1993, Social mechanisms of constraint., 200
  7. 10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.110 · DOI

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Metadata

Authors
Lyubomirsky, S., Sousa, L., & Dickerhoof, R.
Affiliations
University of California, Riverside (US)
ORCID
Lyubomirsky, Sonja
Venue
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2006-04
Volume
90
Issue
4
Pages
692-708
ISSN
  • 0022-3514 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1315
DOI
10.1037/0022-3514.90.4.692
OpenAlex
W2126929584
Cited by
472
References
74
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 36 · 2021: 35 · 2020: 33 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 30 · 2016: 29 · 2015: 29 · 2014: 33 · 2013: 19 · 2012: 34
FWCI
20.31
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
Funders
University of California, Riverside
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health via Writing
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
Keywords
expressive writing, life events, life satisfaction, well-being, physical health, mental health, positive experiences, negative experiences, rumination, event processing
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Psychological, Adolescent, Adult, Affect, California, Female, Health Status, Humans, Life Change Events, Male, Personal Satisfaction, Psychological Theory, Speech, Thinking, Writing

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