Psychological mindedness and expressive writing: An exploration of the relationship between affective essay content and outcomes

Accessing and activation of affect, which are major components of several proposed theoretical explanations of benefits from expressive writing, may be tested by examining associated personality constructs and affect word use in the context of writing. In addition, few studies have examined ethnic differences in expression of emotions in expressive writing, although the clinical literature supports their existence in other settings. The unique stressors faced by ethnic minority groups makes the study of potential stress-relieving interventions particularly important, while cultural differences in emotional expressiveness provide a means of examining the role of affect in expressive writing. This study examined the utility of psychological mindedness, alexithymia, and patterns of affect-related word use in predicting decreases in depression and anxiety symptoms. One hundred thirty-eight incoming college students from ethnically diverse and lower SES backgrounds completed three (expressive or time management) writing sessions, and a one-week follow up session. Participants overall showed significant symptom improvement, though effects did not differ significantly by writing condition or ethnicity. High levels of alexithymia and higher family incomes, using more negative affect and swear words in the first essay, lower levels of negative affect words in the final essay, and more negative/swear than positive words in the first essay predicted greater decreases in symptoms. These findings support affect activation theories of expressive writing, and help further the discussion of for whom and under what conditions expressive writing is most beneficial. Findings also support the utility of expressive writing for ethnic minority college students and young adults, although differences in word use between this and previous expressive writing studies were found