Effects of emotional disclosure of elders'health

North Carolina State University Raleigh, Raleigh NC

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The primary objective of this project is to understand how a simple psycho-social intervention (written emotional disclosure) might improve the physical, psychological, and cognitive health of older adults. An additional objective is to explore whether the mechanism by which these benefits are produced is the reduction of unwanted or intrusive thoughts. Participants aged 60 and older will be randomly assigned to one; of two experimental groups (n = 100 per group). Each group will write six times, for 20 minutes per day, over a two-week period, on an assigned topic. The treatment group will be asked to express their deepest thoughts and feelings about losses or disappointments they have experienced over their life course, while the control group will be asked to describe how their daily activities. Prior to random assignment, immediately following the last writing session and one month later, the participants will complete a battery of measures assessing intrusive thinking, objective and subjective physical health, well-being, and cognitive function (e.g., working memory and everyday cognition). Specific aim 1. To replicate previous findings from college student samples that writing about a stressor has beneficial effects on working memory and physical health. Specific aim 2. To assess the effects of expressive writing on a broad array of cognitive abilities Specific aim 3. To assess at baseline the association between unwanted thoughts, cognitive functioning, physical health, and performance on measures of real-world cognitive functioning. Specific aim 4. To investigate the extent to which expressive writing reduces these unwanted thoughts and whether individual differences in the reduction of intrusive thoughts is associated with the beneficial effects on physical and mental health and cognitive function. Specific aim 5. Examine the durability of the intervention's effects.