Writing about emotions versus goals: effects on hostility and medical care utilization moderated by emotional approach coping processes.
Title | Writing about emotions versus goals: effects on hostility and medical care utilization moderated by emotional approach coping processes. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2008 |
Authors | Austenfeld JL, Stanton AL |
Journal | Br J Health Psychol |
Volume | 13 |
Issue | Pt 1 |
Pagination | 35-8 |
Date Published | 2008 Feb |
ISSN | 1359-107X |
Keywords | Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Expressed Emotion, Female, Goals, Health Services, Hostility, Humans, Male, Writing |
Abstract | OBJECTIVES: The study compared emotionally disclosive writing and writing about goals as the 'best possible self' to a control condition and evaluated coping through emotional processing (EP) and expression (EE) as moderators of effects at 1-month follow-up. METHOD: Undergraduates (N=63) were randomly assigned to emotional disclosure (EMO), best possible self (BPS), or a control condition (CTL). Outcomes were hostility, medical visits, depressive symptoms, physical symptoms, and blood pressure. RESULTS: At 1 month, hostility decreased in high-EP participants in EMO relative to BPS and decreased in low-EP participants in BPS relative to EMO. Low-EP participants had fewer medical visits in BPS, whereas high-EP participants had more visits in BPS relative to other conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Benefits may accrue when the expressive task is matched to the individual's preferred coping strategy. |
DOI | 10.1348/135910707X250857 |
Alternate Journal | Br J Health Psychol |
PubMed ID | 18230228 |