This study examined whether to make a self-disclosure about a stressful experience through writing would have beneficial effects on somatization and psychological well-being, and whether emotional perception, emotional expressiveness, and ambivalence ...
This study examined whether to make a self-disclosure about a stressful experience through writing would have beneficial effects on somatization and psychological well-being, and whether emotional perception, emotional expressiveness, and ambivalence over emotional expressiveness would have moderation effects on effects of writing on somatization and psychological well-being.
It was assumed that self-disclosure of the stressful experience would affect positively physical health and psychological well-being, and that emotional perception, emotional expressiveness, and ambivalence over emotional expressiveness would work by moderation variables on it`s effects.
Based upon the above assumption, two hypotheses were derived and examined through this study: (1) The effects of self-disclosure through writing on somatization and psychological well-being would be significant, after controlling the effect of the other factor. (2) The interaction effects of writing & emotional perception, and writing & emotional expressiveness, and writing & ambivalence over emotional expressiveness would be significant. And internal changes of writing group were observed through the K-LIWC.
Each of forty-six undergraduates wrote about either their stressful experience or superficial topic four times, for 4 days, in 15~20 minutes at each time. Experimental results partly verified the hypothesis. Results showed that writing about a stressful experience improved only physical health. This findings imply that the positive effect of self-disclosure on psychological well-being is not consistent to the general situation. And emotional perception, emotional expressiveness, and ambivalence over emotional expressiveness had moderation effects on writing effects on somatization and psychological well-being. But moderation effects were not completely correspond with the hypothesis. Finally, implications of the findings for psychotherapy and counseling, limitations of this study and suggestions for future studies were discussed.