OBJECTIVES: This study explored treatment mediators among caregivers of older adults who did not benefit from expressive writing in a recently published randomized clinical trial. METHODS: Twenty-seven expressive writing and time management participants completed questionnaires prior to writing, following their fourth writing session, and 1 month later. We examined the effect of group differences in linguistic markers on health improvements. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Our hypothesis concerning narrative development received no support, and expected links between function words and health were partially confirmed. Results most strongly supported the hypothesis that expressive writing benefited caregivers who used increasingly positive, optimistic, and future-focused language.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVES: This study explored treatment mediators among caregivers of older adults who did not benefit from expressive writing in a recently published randomized clinical trial. METHODS: Twenty-seven expressive writing and time management participants completed questionnaires prior to writing, following their fourth writing session, and 1 month later. We examined the effect of group differences in linguistic markers on health improvements. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Our hypothesis concerning narrative development received no support, and expected links between function words and health were partially confirmed. Results most strongly supported the hypothesis that expressive writing benefited caregivers who used increasingly positive, optimistic, and future-focused language.
Authors: Alexandra L Terrill; Lee Ellington; Kevin K John; Seth Latimer; Jiayun Xu; Maija Reblin; Margaret F Clayton Journal: Patient Educ Couns Date: 2017-11-28