Research on Writing and Health
The research on writing and health is fairly extensive and I’ve included merely a sample here. These are studies I’ve written about over the last several years, chosen because I think they might be especially useful in helping one decide what to write about. What I find interesting is the range of writing that has shown to be beneficial.
- 1983. Writing about trauma: the classic Pennebaker study on expressive writing
- 1996. Writing about an imagined trauma or difficult life event
- 1997. Writing and the use of insight words
- 2001. Writing about goals and dreams
- 2002. Writing among women with breast cancer
- 2002. Writing to reframe a difficult life event
- 2003. Writing and changing point of view
- 2006. Writing letters
- 2008. Writing in the waiting room
- 2011. Writing to express gratitude