The Health Benefits of Writing about Life Goals

Bibliographic Data

ID23366288
AuthorsLaura A King (0000-0002-3753-2575, Southern Methodist University, corresponding author)
Year2001
Volume27
Issue7
Pages798-807
Publication date2001-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePersonality and Social Psychology Bulletin (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0146-1672 • E-ISSN: 1552-7433
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0146167201277003
OpenAlexW2158489986
LanguageEN
Citations received124
References cited41

In a variation on Pennebaker’s writing paradigm, a sample of 81 undergraduates wrote about one of four topics for 20 minutes each day for 4 consecutive days. Participants were randomly assigned to write about their most traumatic life event, their best possible future self, both of these topics, or a nonemotional control topic. Mood was measured before and after writing and health center data for illness were obtained with participant consent. Three weeks later, measures of subjective well-being were obtained. Writing about life goals was significantly less upsetting than writing about trauma and was associated with a significant increase in subjective well-being. Five months after writing, a significant interaction emerged such that writing about trauma, one’s best possible self, or both were associated with decreased illness compared with controls. Results indicate that writing about self-regulatory topics can be associated with the same health benefits as writing about trauma.

Affect (linguistics) · Developmental psychology · Mood · Negative mood · Self-disclosure · Clinical Psychology · Identity, Memory, and Therapy · Mental Health via Writing · Psychology · Resilience and Mental Health · Social Psychology