The benefits of classic and enhanced tasks of expressive writing for emotional well-being of students

Abstract

Background: This study aims to evaluate the efficiency of a classical expressive writing task and of an expressive writing task improved with REBT on students´ emotional well-being. Methods: Sixty students (with subclinical depression) were randomly distributed in one of the three experimental groups: the classical experimental group (N=21), the experimental group improved with REBT (N=20) and the control group (N=19). Self-reported measures of the negative and positive affect were collected in the first day of the intervention and four weeks after its completion. The emotional state of the participants was assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory and Profile of Mood States. Findings: Our results indicate that both experimental tasks succeed to significantly reduce levels of depression and anger. In the case of the experimental group improved with REBT it was also observed an increase in the positive affect level at T2, in comparasion with T1. Conclusion. The result obtained for the positive affect in the case of the experimental group improved with REBT is a promising one. For future research, we recommend the replication of the study among other populations.