Booth et al., 1997: Describing thoughts and feelings about traumatic experiences improved immune system function among medical students
Reference:
Booth, R. J., Petrie, K. J., & Pennebaker, J. W. (1997). Changes in circulating lymphocyte numbers following emotional disclosure: evidence of buffering?. Stress medicine, 13(1), 23-29.
Download PDFSummary:
Asking medical students to describe their “deepest thoughts and feelings” about “the most traumatic and upsetting experiences of your whole life” for 20 minutes/day on four consecutive days improved measures of immune system function (reduced circulating CD4 lymphocytes).
Psychological Process:
What Desired Meaning is At Stake?
What is the Person Trying to Understand?
Selves (My Own and Others')Approach to Desired Meaning
What about it?
Changing beliefs about emotions, states, and the valence of the self-conceptHow?
Psychological Question Addressed
Are negative past emotions, states, and experiences ongoing and undermining?Are negative past emotions, states, and experiences ongoing and undermining?Psychological Question Addressed
Are negative past emotions, states, and experiences ongoing and undermining?Psychological Process 2:
Psychological Process 3:
Social Area:
Health
Intervention Technique:
Active reflection, on negative experiences