IngentaConnect Written emotional disclosure and processing of trauma are associa...

Authors: O'Cleirigh, Conall¹; Ironson, Gail¹; Fletcher, Mary Ann¹; Schneiderman, Neil¹

Source: British Journal of Health Psychology, Volume 13, Number 1, February 2008 , pp. 81-84(4)

Publisher: British Psychological Society

Abstract:

ObjectiveThis study compared written emotional disclosure and processing of trauma among a relatively rare group of people with AIDS with atypically favourable disease status with an HIV+ comparison group. The study also examined the mediational role of emotional/cognitive processing and natural killer (NK) cells.

DesignThis study utilized a cross-sectional group comparison design.

MethodTwo HIV+ groups, the Healthy Survivors (N=37;>9-months with <50 CD4 cells/mm³ and asymptomatic), and an HIV+ comparison groups (N=100) wrote essays describing their reactions to past traumas; these were scored for emotional disclosure/processing.

ResultsHealthy survivors had higher levels of emotional disclosure and emotional/cognitive processing than the comparison group. Emotional/cognitive processing mediated the relationship between emotional disclosure and group membership. NK cell number mediated the relationship between emotional/cognitive processing and `healthy survival'.

ConclusionsThe results suggest that higher levels of emotional disclosure and processing of trauma may confer health and immunological benefits to people living with HIV/AIDS.

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Written emotional disclosure and processing of trauma are associated with protected health status and immunity in people living with HIV/AIDS