OBJECTIVES: To determine whether writing about emotional topics compared with writing about neutral topics could affect CD4+ lymphocyte count and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) viral load among HIV-infected patients. METHODS:Thirty-seven HIV-infected patients were randomly allocated to 2 writing conditions focusing on emotional or control topics. Participants wrote for 4 days, 30 minutes per day. The CD4+ lymphocyte count and HIV viral load were measured at baseline and at 2 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after writing. RESULTS: The emotional writing participants rated their essays as more personal, valuable, and emotional than those in the control condition. Relative to the drop in HIV viral load, CD4+ lymphocyte counts increased after the intervention for participants in the emotional writing condition compared with control writing participants. CONCLUSIONS: The results are consistent with those of previous studies using emotional writing in other patient groups. Based on the self-reports of the value of writing and the preliminary laboratory findings, the results suggest that emotional writing may provide benefit for patients with HIV infection.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVES: To determine whether writing about emotional topics compared with writing about neutral topics could affect CD4+ lymphocyte count and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) viral load among HIV-infectedpatients. METHODS: Thirty-seven HIV-infectedpatients were randomly allocated to 2 writing conditions focusing on emotional or control topics. Participants wrote for 4 days, 30 minutes per day. The CD4+ lymphocyte count and HIV viral load were measured at baseline and at 2 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after writing. RESULTS: The emotional writingparticipants rated their essays as more personal, valuable, and emotional than those in the control condition. Relative to the drop in HIV viral load, CD4+ lymphocyte counts increased after the intervention for participants in the emotional writing condition compared with control writing participants. CONCLUSIONS: The results are consistent with those of previous studies using emotional writing in other patient groups. Based on the self-reports of the value of writing and the preliminary laboratory findings, the results suggest that emotional writing may provide benefit for patients with HIV infection.
Authors: Allison J Applebaum; C Andres Bedoya; Ellen S Hendriksen; Jesse L Wilkinson; Steven A Safren; Conall O'Cleirigh Journal: J Assoc Nurses AIDS Care Date: 2014-11-10 Impact factor: 1.354
Authors: K Vedhara; H Brant; E Adamopoulos; L Byrne-Davis; B Mackintosh; L Hoppitt; M Tovee; J Miles; J W Pennebaker Journal: Int J Behav Med Date: 2010-09
Authors: Yael Schenker; Mary Amanda Dew; Charles F Reynolds; Robert M Arnold; Greer A Tiver; Amber E Barnato Journal: Palliat Support Care Date: 2014-02-13