Expressive Writing for Emotional Well-Being

Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)

Overseen by Erik Nook, PhD

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Recruiting

Sponsor: Trustees of Princeton University

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

Expressive writing involves writing about one's deepest thoughts and feelings surrounding an emotional event. The current literature on the efficacy of expressive writing is mixed and warrants further investigation into how, when, and for whom expressive writing is an effective intervention. The goal of this study is to compare the efficacy of expressive writing interventions in young adults when people imagine that they're writing to themselves vs. a loved one. Participants will carry out an expressive writing exercise for 14 consecutive days. Participants are randomized into 3 groups: Self, Other, and Control. The Self group is instructed to write as if they were talking to themselves. The Other group is instructed to direct their writing to someone they feel close to. The Control group is asked to write down a factual description of their routine that day, and direct this writing to themselves. We will recruit participants until we have usable data from 53 participants per group (i.e., 159 in total).

Research Team

Erik Nook, PhD

Principal Investigator

Princeton University

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for US-based, English-speaking young adults experiencing mild symptoms of depression or anxiety. Participants must have a certain score on mental health questionnaires to join. They can't take part if they don't write for at least 15 minutes daily or miss three days in a row.

Inclusion Criteria

You must live in the United States.

You must be able to speak English well.

Your combined GAD-7 and PHQ-8 score must be 5 or higher.

Exclusion Criteria

Failure to complete 3 consecutive daily writing sessions

I haven't spent 15 minutes daily on the writing exercise.

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Expressive Writing: Other (Behavioural Intervention)
• Expressive Writing: Self (Behavioural Intervention)
• Factual Writing (Behavioural Intervention)

Trial Overview The study tests the effects of expressive writing when directed towards oneself versus someone close, compared with factual writing about daily routines. Over two weeks, participants will be randomly placed into one of three groups and asked to write each day according to their group's theme.

Participant Groups

Group I: Self Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The Self group is instructed to carry out the expressive writing exercise as if they were writing to themselves.

Group II: Other Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The Other group is instructed to carry out the expressive writing exercise as if they were writing to someone they feel close to.

Group III: Control Placebo Group 1 Intervention

The Control group is asked to write down a factual description of their routine that day, as if they were writing to themselves.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Trustees of Princeton University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2

Recruited

1,700+