King, 2001: Reflecting about their best future selves improved subjective well-being among college students after 3 weeks
Reference:
King, L. A. (2001). The health benefits of writing about life goals. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27(7), 798-807.
Download PDFSummary:
College students were asked to write about (1) their most traumatic life event, (2) their best possible future self, (3) both topics, or (4) a control topic for 20 minutes/day for four consecutive days. Writing about best possible selves led to a greater increase in subjective well-being (greater life satisfaction and optimism) three weeks later. All three treatments significantly reduced illness (health center visits) over the next five months as compared to the prior three months.
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
Do I think and feel positively about myself?Do I think and feel positively about myself?Psychological Question Addressed
Do I think and feel positively about myself?Psychological Process 2:
Psychological Process 3:
Social Area:
Health; Well-being
Intervention Technique:
Active reflection, on a positive aspect of self; Active reflection, on negative experiences