Cited by 1,502Mental Health via WritingPsychotherapy Techniques and ApplicationsAttachment and Relationship Dynamics

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Experimental disclosure and its moderators: A meta-analysis.

Frattaroli, Joanne·2006·Psychological Bulletin

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Abstract

Disclosing information, thoughts, and feelings about personal and meaningful topics (experimental disclosure) is purported to have various health and psychological consequences (e.g., J. W. Pennebaker, 1993). Although the results of 2 small meta-analyses (P. G. Frisina, J. C. Borod, & S. J. Lepore, 2004; J. M. Smyth, 1998) suggest that experimental disclosure has a positive and significant effect, both used a fixed effects approach, limiting generalizability. Also, a plethora of studies on experimental disclosure have been completed that were not included in the previous analyses. One hundred forty-six randomized studies of experimental disclosure were collected and included in the present meta-analysis. Results of random effects analyses indicate that experimental disclosure is effective, with a positive and significant average r-effect size of .075. In addition, a number of moderators were identified.

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“Some have shown that expressive writing improves both physical and psychological health (Frattaroli, 2006; Smyth, 1998).”
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“For perceived arousal, there was a main effect of time (F(2,157) = 34.”
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“This examination then allows the individuals to develop better solutions to the problem (Frattaroli, 2006).”
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“Regarding the content and quantity of expressive writing, converging evidence exists that especially writing about highly emotionally distressing events can have psychological and physiological health benefits (Baikie and Wilhelm, 2005; Frattaroli, 2006).”
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“This approach seems to be effective because it combines both the benefits of self-disclosure and the benefits of gratitude (for meta-analyses, see Frattaroli, 2006; Dickens, 2017, respectively).”
Background
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“It has been postulated that these health benefits occur through emotional disclosure and cognitive processing of traumatic events (Frattaroli, 2006).”
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Background
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“Given previous research indicated differential effects of private versus public written disclosure (Frattaroli, 2006; Macready et al., 2011), future research should investigate the role of expressive writing on emotion regulation and well-being as a function of covariates such as the degree of…”
BackgroundResultInfluential
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“…Enhanced understanding of the patient’s context and concerns [30, 111, 117–119, 124, 125, 145–147, 170, 183, 184] Enhanced physical well-being [111, 185] through: • Improved healing [186–190] • Improved symptom management [25, 28, 111, 191–194] • Higher provision of emotional and physical support…”
Background
Writing for Depression in Health Care
Cooper, P. (2013) · British Journal of Occupational Therapy · doi:10.4276/030802213x13651610908452 · Cited by 26
“Frattaroli (2006) highlighted certain elements that improved outcomes, which are integral to UWaT.”
BackgroundMethod
Blogging About Trauma: Linguistic Measures of Apparent Recovery
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Cognitive Adaptability as a Moderator of Expressive Writing Effects in an HIV Sample
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Authors: Frattaroli, J.
Affiliations: University of California, Riverside (US)
Corresponding author: Frattaroli, Joanne
Venue: Psychological Bulletin
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Published: 2006
Volume: 132
Issue: 6
Pages: 823-865
ISSN: 0033-2909 (ISSN-L)
1939-1455
DOI: 10.1037/0033-2909.132.6.823
OpenAlex: W2031791082
Cited by: 1,502
References: 157
Citations by year: 2026: 61 · 2025: 40 · 2024: 46 · 2023: 70 · 2022: 90 · 2021: 74 · 2020: 142 · 2019: 82 · 2018: 123 · 2017: 52 · 2016: 124 · 2015: 88 · 2014: 85 · 2013: 73 · 2012: 91
FWCI: 52.64
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Psychological Bulletin (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: University of California
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health via Writing
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
Keywords: expressive writing, random effects models, effect size
MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Attitude to Health, Female, Health Status, Humans, Life Change Events, Male, Mental Health, Self Disclosure, Time Factors, Writing, Expressed Emotion, Disclosure

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Experimental disclosure and its moderators: A meta-analysis.

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