Expressive Writing

Expressive writing, or written emotional disclosure, is a brief writing activity that encourages the expression of one's deepest thoughts and feelings about a personally important or stressful experience. Participants who write in this way, relative to those who write about emotionally neutral topics, often show meaningful improvements in physical and mental health outcomes, including healthcare utilization, immune functioning, and depressive symptoms. Characteristics of participants and the writing procedure have been shown to moderate the effects of expressive writing, and the mechanisms of action are not yet clear. As such, expressive writing has the potential for clinical utility, but its use must be carefully considered.