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Journal of Pediatric Psychology Advance Access originally published online on July 13, 2005
Journal of Pediatric Psychology 2006 31(6):557-568; doi:10.1093/jpepsy/jsj048
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© The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oupjournals.org

Health Effects of Written Emotional Disclosure in Adolescents with Asthma: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

Lori J. Warner, PhD1, Mark A. Lumley, PhD1, Rita J. Casey, PhD1, Wayne Pierantoni, MD2, Reina Salazar, MD2, Edward M. Zoratti, MD3, Robert Enberg, MD3 and Michael R. Simon, MD1,3

1 Wayne State University, Detroit, 2 Grosse Pointe Allergy and Asthma Centers, and 3 Henry Ford Health System, Detroit

All correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Mark A. Lumley, Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, 71 West Warren Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48202. E-mail: mlumley{at}wayne.edu.

Received October 29, 2004; revisions received March 12, 2005 and June 8, 2005; accepted June 16, 2005

Objective To test the effects of written emotional disclosure on the health of adolescents with asthma and to examine how language in disclosures predicts outcomes. Methods We randomized 50 adolescents with asthma to write for 3 days at home about stressful events (disclosure) or control topics. At baseline and 2 months after writing, we assessed symptoms, affect, disability, internalizing behavior problems, and lung function; parents independently rated internalizing behavior and disability. Results Compared with control writing, disclosure writing led to improved positive affect and internalizing problems. Disclosure also decreased asthma symptoms and functional disability among adolescents with baseline elevations of these difficulties. Lung function was not changed. Disclosures with more negative emotion, insight, and causal words—and increased causal or insight words over days—predicted improved health. Conclusions Written emotional disclosure improves emotional and behavioral functioning among adolescents with asthma, particularly those whose writings suggest emotional processing and cognitive restructuring.

Key words: adolescents; asthma; emotional disclosure; expressive writing; stress management.


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