Impact of expressive writing on everyday memory functioning

Abstract

Introduction

The suppression of negative feelings and traumatic events has detrimental effect on mental and physical health. One of the promising techniques to reduce stress related to trauma is expressive writing. Expressive writing has been found successful with different types of maladaptive behaviors e.g., pain, depression, anxiety and cognitive dysfunctioning.

Objectives

This study investigates the impact of different categories of expressive writing on improving every day memory performance and cognitive functioning.

Aims

Examining the impact of cognitive functioning and everyday memory.

Methods

A sample of 90 participants took part in this study. The participants aged (21 and 65 yrs.) 47 of them are females aged between average of (21.64 yrs.), and 43 males aged between average of (21, 49 yrs.). The participants were classified randomly into three groups (a control group, and two experimental groups [pen and oral writing]). The three groups were administered the Every Memory Questionnaire and Taranto Alexithymia Scale.

Results

The results showed that there were no significant differences among the three groups in each of the Alexithymia and Everyday memory, which indicates random distribution of the three groups. The results showed that both of the experimental groups were improved on everyday memory functioning. More importantly, the results indicated that there were no significant differences between using pen or figures in expressive writing to improve Everyday memory.

Conclusion

Study results showed the significant impact of expressive writing on every day memory functioning, furthermore, the study results are used to empathize on the cognitive rehabilitation of the individuals as well as to improve self-esteem on general psychological individual cases.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.