Now that the skeptic has been assigned the “treatment” of journaling. I have the task of finding out what science and the media think of journaling.
In my research on the science of journal writing, I found the following well-being effects:
- Self reflection reduces ANXIETY through organizing thoughts and putting emotions and stressors down on paper
- Increases MINDFULNESS
- May improve IQ and MEMORY
- PHYSICAL HEALTH benefits
In fact, a meta-analysis (a summary paper on other studies) of 13 studies using expressive writing with healthy participants found a significant overall benefit (some stats for those analytical skeptics out there – d = 0.47, P<0.0001) and specific benefits in objective or self-reported physical health, psychological well-being, physiological functioning and general functioning outcomes (Smyth, 1998).
This review means that people that are healthy both phyically and mentally, writing in a journal resulted in benefits that were similiar in stregth as other psychological interventions, such as in person therapy that are more time consuming and expensive.
A research project by Pennebaker and Chung in 2011 found that just 3 writing sessions of at least 15 minutes had benefits even 9 months later. There instructions to their participants were:
“For the next 3 days, I would like for you to write about your very deepest thoughts and feelings about the most traumatic experience of your entire life. In your writing, I’d like you to really let go and explore your very deepest emotions and thoughts. You might tie this trauma to your childhood, your relationships with others, including parents, lovers, friends or relatives. You may also link this event to your past, your present or your future, or to who you have been, who you would like to be, or who you are now. You may write about the same general issues or experiences on all days of writing or about different topics each day. Not everyone has had a single trauma but all of us have had major conflicts or stressors—and you can write about these as well. All of your writing will be completely confidential. Don’t worry about spelling, sentence structure, or grammar. The only rule is that once you begin writing, continue to do so until your time is up.” (Pennebaker & Chung, 2011, p. 419).
Pop culture says that journaling or expressive writing generally has a few major benefits.
- Keeping thoughts organized
- Improve writing skills
- Goal accheivement
- Ideation
- Stress relief
- Self reflection
- Memory improvement
- Improved creativity
These reserach articles and pop culture seem to agree, journaling is good for the mind and the body! Journaling is such a small investment financially and time, it is logicially simple, and relatively painless. Therefore, I would say that this is ample evidence for anyone – NAY, everyone to give it a try, but I am the openminded one. Check back to see what the skeptic thinks!
