Evaluation of expressive writing for postpartum health: a randomised controlled trial.

Ayers S, Crawley R, Button S, Thornton A, Field AP, Flood C, Lee S, Eagle A, Bradley R, Moore D, Gyte G, Smith H

Journal of behavioral medicine · October 1, 2018

A randomized controlled trial was conducted with three conditions: expressive writing (n = 188), a control writing task (n = 213), or normal care (n = 163), with measures at 6-12 weeks postpartum, 1 and 6 months later. Intent-to-treat analyses showed no significant differences between groups on measures of physical health, anxiety, depression, mood or quality of life at 1 and 6 months. However, women in the expressive writing group rated their stress as significantly reduced after completing the task. Results suggest expressive writing is not effective as a universal intervention for all women 6-12 weeks postpartum.

PMID: 30291538 · DOI: 10.1007/s10865-018-9970-3