Journal of Pediatric Psychology 29(2) pp. 105-118, 2004
Journal of Pediatric Psychology vol. 29 no. 2 © Society of Pediatric Psychology 2004; all rights reserved
Effects of Written Emotional Disclosure on Caregivers of Children and Adolescents with Chronic Illness
1 Case Western Reserve University and 2 Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital
All correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Lisa Schwartz, Department of Psychology, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-7123. E-mail: lxs78{at}po.cwru.edu.
Objective Tested feasibility of a written emotional disclosure intervention with caregivers of youths with chronic illness and its effects on measures of mood, physical symptoms, health-related quality of life, distress, and caregiver appraisal of stress and efficacy. Methods Measures were administered prior to and immediately after writing and 4 months later. Experimental group (n = 29) wrote about traumas and stressors while the control group (n = 25) wrote about summer activities for 20 minutes on three different days. Results Consistent with hypotheses, the experimental group experienced less positive affect, F(1, 54) = 4.68, p <.05, and more negative affect, F(1, 54) = 7.92, p <.01, and physical symptoms, F(1, 54) = 4.30, p <.05, immediately following writing than the control group. There were no significant Group x Time interactions on long-term mood, distress, health-related quality of life, or caregiver appraisal. Contrary to hypotheses, the control group had more vitality over time, F(1, 53) = 21.29, p <.001, than the experimental group. Conclusions Recommendations include modifying the procedures to attain more control in applied settings and identifying specific processes that contribute to the efficacy of written emotional disclosure on well-being.
Key words: written emotional disclosure; caregivers; children; adolescents; chronic illness.
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