Do expressive writing interventions have positive effects on Koreans?: a meta-analysis
IntroductionExpressive Writing (EW) is an intervention that focuses on individuals’ writing down their thoughts and feelings about trauma or stressful events. Meta-analyses on EW studies have confirmed that EW has a positive effect. However, the heterogeneity of studies is high, so many studies have...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-11-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1204053/full |
| _version_ | 1797498231355080704 |
|---|---|
| author | Yeseul Lee Dongil Kim Jung-Eun Lim |
| author_facet | Yeseul Lee Dongil Kim Jung-Eun Lim |
| author_sort | Yeseul Lee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionExpressive Writing (EW) is an intervention that focuses on individuals’ writing down their thoughts and feelings about trauma or stressful events. Meta-analyses on EW studies have confirmed that EW has a positive effect. However, the heterogeneity of studies is high, so many studies have investigated boundary conditions and moderators. One of these moderators is the cultural difference in emotional suppression. Since EW focuses on the expression of suppressed thoughts and emotions, its effect might be slightly different for people in Asian cultures who show a high tendency to suppress their emotions. This study attempted to confirm the effect size of the EW interventions in Korea and examine whether these studies have different effect size from those based on Western cultures.MethodA total of 29 studies published in Korea until 2021 were analyzed. The effect size was calculated using the “dmetar,” “meta,” and “metafor” packages of the statistical program R 4.0.4.ResultsThe results were as follows. First, the effect size of EW intervention was 0.16, and we found that studies in the Korean context showed no significant difference from studies based on western meta-analysis. Second, the moderating variables that influenced the EW intervention were the writing type, the number of sessions, the time per session, and the measurement time.DiscussionThe results of this study suggest that EW interventions benefit Koreans. And it is at least harmless and has a positive effect considering the efficiency and conciseness of interventions. Furthermore, the finding shows that EW interventions can be helpful even in the general population without apparent psychological problems. By considering moderators, we could structure more effective form of EW interventions for Koreans. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:30:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0717207104c5471c8b4bdd9990165699 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:30:30Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-0717207104c5471c8b4bdd99901656992023-11-23T11:56:21ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402023-11-011410.3389/fpsyt.2023.12040531204053Do expressive writing interventions have positive effects on Koreans?: a meta-analysisYeseul LeeDongil KimJung-Eun LimIntroductionExpressive Writing (EW) is an intervention that focuses on individuals’ writing down their thoughts and feelings about trauma or stressful events. Meta-analyses on EW studies have confirmed that EW has a positive effect. However, the heterogeneity of studies is high, so many studies have investigated boundary conditions and moderators. One of these moderators is the cultural difference in emotional suppression. Since EW focuses on the expression of suppressed thoughts and emotions, its effect might be slightly different for people in Asian cultures who show a high tendency to suppress their emotions. This study attempted to confirm the effect size of the EW interventions in Korea and examine whether these studies have different effect size from those based on Western cultures.MethodA total of 29 studies published in Korea until 2021 were analyzed. The effect size was calculated using the “dmetar,” “meta,” and “metafor” packages of the statistical program R 4.0.4.ResultsThe results were as follows. First, the effect size of EW intervention was 0.16, and we found that studies in the Korean context showed no significant difference from studies based on western meta-analysis. Second, the moderating variables that influenced the EW intervention were the writing type, the number of sessions, the time per session, and the measurement time.DiscussionThe results of this study suggest that EW interventions benefit Koreans. And it is at least harmless and has a positive effect considering the efficiency and conciseness of interventions. Furthermore, the finding shows that EW interventions can be helpful even in the general population without apparent psychological problems. By considering moderators, we could structure more effective form of EW interventions for Koreans.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1204053/fullexpressive writingmeta-analysiswriting therapyemotional exposureself-disclosureeffect size |
| spellingShingle | Yeseul Lee Dongil Kim Jung-Eun Lim Do expressive writing interventions have positive effects on Koreans?: a meta-analysis Frontiers in Psychiatry expressive writing meta-analysis writing therapy emotional exposure self-disclosure effect size |
| title | Do expressive writing interventions have positive effects on Koreans?: a meta-analysis |
| title_full | Do expressive writing interventions have positive effects on Koreans?: a meta-analysis |
| title_fullStr | Do expressive writing interventions have positive effects on Koreans?: a meta-analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Do expressive writing interventions have positive effects on Koreans?: a meta-analysis |
| title_short | Do expressive writing interventions have positive effects on Koreans?: a meta-analysis |
| title_sort | do expressive writing interventions have positive effects on koreans a meta analysis |
| topic | expressive writing meta-analysis writing therapy emotional exposure self-disclosure effect size |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1204053/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yeseullee doexpressivewritinginterventionshavepositiveeffectsonkoreansametaanalysis AT dongilkim doexpressivewritinginterventionshavepositiveeffectsonkoreansametaanalysis AT jungeunlim doexpressivewritinginterventionshavepositiveeffectsonkoreansametaanalysis |