Effects of (very) brief writing on health: The two-minute miracle

Authors: Burton, Chad M.1; King, Laura A.1

Source: British Journal of Health Psychology, Volume 13, Number 1, February 2008 , pp. 9-14(6)

Publisher: British Psychological Society

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Abstract:

This study tested the lower boundary of the dosage required to garner health benefits from written emotional expression. Participants wrote about either a personal trauma, a positive life experience, or a control topic for 2 minutes each day for 2 days. Emotion word usage in the essays was examined and physical health complaints were measured 4-6 weeks after the last writing session. Trauma and positive experience essays contained more emotional content than the control essays and such content was of a similar percentage to that demonstrated by past research. Both the trauma and the positive experience conditions reported fewer health complaints at follow-up than the control condition.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1348/135910707X250910

Affiliations: 1: Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Missouri, USA

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