Expressive writing and posttraumatic growth: an Internet-based study

This study examined the effects of Internet-based expressive writing on posttraumatic growth. Expressive (n = 14) and control writing (n = 10) participants wrote for 15 min on 3 occasions spaced 3 days apart. Measures of intrusive and avoidant thoughts and posttraumatic growth were administered at b...

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Main Authors: Stockton, Hannah, Joseph, Stephen, Hunt, Nigel
Format: Article
Published: American Psychological Association 2014
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/32023/
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author Stockton, Hannah
Joseph, Stephen
Hunt, Nigel
author_facet Stockton, Hannah
Joseph, Stephen
Hunt, Nigel
author_sort Stockton, Hannah
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description This study examined the effects of Internet-based expressive writing on posttraumatic growth. Expressive (n = 14) and control writing (n = 10) participants wrote for 15 min on 3 occasions spaced 3 days apart. Measures of intrusive and avoidant thoughts and posttraumatic growth were administered at baseline and 2- and 8-week postintervention follow-ups. Results showed that posttraumatic growth significantly increased from baseline to 8-week follow-up in the expressive writing group, while there was no significant change in levels of posttraumatic growth in the control group. Intrusive and avoidant cognitions did not differ between writing groups. Analyses of language use showed that greater use of insight words was associated with an increase in posttraumatic growth. Findings are consistent with cognitive processing models of expressive writing and have implications for Internet-administered expressive writing.
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spelling nottingham-320232020-05-04T16:47:22Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/32023/ Expressive writing and posttraumatic growth: an Internet-based study Stockton, Hannah Joseph, Stephen Hunt, Nigel This study examined the effects of Internet-based expressive writing on posttraumatic growth. Expressive (n = 14) and control writing (n = 10) participants wrote for 15 min on 3 occasions spaced 3 days apart. Measures of intrusive and avoidant thoughts and posttraumatic growth were administered at baseline and 2- and 8-week postintervention follow-ups. Results showed that posttraumatic growth significantly increased from baseline to 8-week follow-up in the expressive writing group, while there was no significant change in levels of posttraumatic growth in the control group. Intrusive and avoidant cognitions did not differ between writing groups. Analyses of language use showed that greater use of insight words was associated with an increase in posttraumatic growth. Findings are consistent with cognitive processing models of expressive writing and have implications for Internet-administered expressive writing. American Psychological Association 2014-06-01 Article PeerReviewed Stockton, Hannah, Joseph, Stephen and Hunt, Nigel (2014) Expressive writing and posttraumatic growth: an Internet-based study. Traumatology, 20 (2). pp. 75-83. ISSN 1085-9373 Posttraumatic Growth Expressive Writing Disclosure Writing Internet-Based Research LIWC http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=search.displayrecord&uid=2014-13634-001 doi:10.1037/h0099377 doi:10.1037/h0099377
spellingShingle Posttraumatic Growth
Expressive Writing
Disclosure Writing
Internet-Based Research
LIWC
Stockton, Hannah
Joseph, Stephen
Hunt, Nigel
Expressive writing and posttraumatic growth: an Internet-based study
title Expressive writing and posttraumatic growth: an Internet-based study
title_full Expressive writing and posttraumatic growth: an Internet-based study
title_fullStr Expressive writing and posttraumatic growth: an Internet-based study
title_full_unstemmed Expressive writing and posttraumatic growth: an Internet-based study
title_short Expressive writing and posttraumatic growth: an Internet-based study
title_sort expressive writing and posttraumatic growth: an internet-based study
topic Posttraumatic Growth
Expressive Writing
Disclosure Writing
Internet-Based Research
LIWC
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/32023/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/32023/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/32023/