Emotional Expression and Physical Health: Revising Traumatic Memories or Fostering Self-Regulation?

Health benefits derived from personal trauma disclosure are well established. This study examined whether disclosing emotions generated by imaginative immersion in a novel traumatic event would similarly enhance health and adjustment. College women, preselected for trauma presence, were randomly ass...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of personality and social psychology 1996-09, Vol.71 (3), p.588-602
Main Authors: Greenberg, Melanie A, Wortman, Camille B, Stone, Arthur A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological
Adolescent
Adult
Benefits
Biological and medical sciences
Catharsis
Cohort Studies
Disclosure
Emotional Adjustment
Emotions
Experiences (Events)
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Health
Human
Human Females
Humans
Imagination
Internal-External Control
Life Change Events
Memory
Mental health
Mental Recall
Personality. Affectivity
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Self
Self Concept
Self Disclosure
Social psychology
Somatoform Disorders - diagnosis
Somatoform Disorders - psychology
Stress
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - diagnosis
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - therapy
Trauma
Writing
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Summary:Health benefits derived from personal trauma disclosure are well established. This study examined whether disclosing emotions generated by imaginative immersion in a novel traumatic event would similarly enhance health and adjustment. College women, preselected for trauma presence, were randomly assigned to write about real traumas, imaginary traumas, or trivial events. Yoked real-trauma and imaginary-trauma participants wrote about real-trauma participants' experiences. Imaginary-trauma participants were significantly less depressed than real-trauma participants at immediate posttest, but they were similarly angry, fearful, and happy. Compared with control group participants, both trauma groups made significantly fewer illness visits at 1-month follow-up; however, real-trauma participants reported more fatigue and avoidance than did the other groups. Imaginary-trauma group effects could reflect catharsis, emotional regulation, or construction of resilient possible selves.
ISSN:0022-3514
1939-1315
DOI:10.1037/0022-3514.71.3.588