Pennebaker et al., 1990: Writing about deepest thoughts and emotions about college reduced doctor visits and increased homesickness and worry about college among first-year students over four months
Reference:
Pennebaker, J. W., Colder, M., & Sharp, L. K. (1990). Accelerating the coping process. Journal of personality and social psychology, 58(3), 528.
Download PDFSummary:
Asking first-year college students to write about their “deepest emotions and thoughts” about coming to college for 20-minutes/day on 3 days in the first semester reduced doctor visits over the next 4 months relative to students who wrote about trivial topics. However, the treatment increased self-reported homesickness and worry about college. There was a trend for a benefit on grade-point-average, and no effect on positive mood, or health behaviors.
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 current or upcoming emotions, states, and experiences negative and undermining?Are current or upcoming emotions, states, and experiences negative and undermining?Psychological Question Addressed
Are current or upcoming emotions, states, and experiences negative and undermining?Psychological Process 2:
Psychological Process 3:
Social Area:
Education; Health
Intervention Technique:
Active reflection, on negative experiences