Esterling et al., 1994: Writing or talking about stressful events improved immune system function among undergraduate students after one week
Reference:
Esterling, B. A., Antoni, M. H., Fletcher, M. A., Margulies, S., & Schneiderman, N. (1994). Emotional disclosure through writing or speaking modulates latent Epstein-Barr virus antibody titers. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 62(1), 130.
Download PDFSummary:
Asking undergraduates to write or talk about stressful events they had not disclosed to many people in three weekly 20-minute sessions improved measures of immune system function 1 week after the final writing session, especially in the verbal condition, relative to students who wrote about trivial events.
Psychological Process:
What Desired Meaning is At Stake?
What is the Person Trying to Understand?
Selves (My Own and Others')Approach to Desired Meaning
What about it?
Changing beliefs about emotions, states, and the valence of the self-conceptHow?
Psychological Question Addressed
Are negative past emotions, states, and experiences ongoing and undermining?Are negative past emotions, states, and experiences ongoing and undermining?Psychological Question Addressed
Are negative past emotions, states, and experiences ongoing and undermining?Psychological Process 2:
Psychological Process 3:
Social Area:
Health
Intervention Technique:
Active reflection, on negative experiences