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Positive expressive writing consistently improves well-being, but not all techniques are created equal

The benefits of positive expressive writing for psychological health and well-being depend on the particular approach and on individual differences, according to a systematic review in the journal PLOS One by Lauren Hoult from Northumbria University, U.K., and colleagues.

Writing interventions first explored in research direct people to write about stressful or negative topics repeatedly over the course of several consecutive days, which often improves mental health in the long run, but risks heightening negative emotions in the moment. Positive expressive writing, on the other hand, emphasizes self-reflection, gratitude, and imagining a hopeful future, benefiting well-being over time without risk.

While previous studies suggest that positive expressive writing can boost health and well-being in non-clinical populations, no existing reviews have assessed the best ways to administer positive expressive writing interventions.

To evaluate which techniques have the most health and well-being benefits, the researchers systematically reviewed 51 articles about positive expressive writing interventions published between 1930 and 2023. All studies focused on non-clinical adult populations and self-administered interventions, including techniques like "best possible self," or writing about an optimistic future, and writing gratitude letters.

The researchers found that across positive expressive writing techniques, psychological and subjective well-being outcomes improved most consistently, including measures of happiness, life satisfaction, and gratitude. Effects on measures of physical and mental health, like trait anxiety and depression, varied across people and intervention types.

The authors emphasize that inconsistencies across studies, such as differences in the control group or the duration of writing protocol, made it challenging to compare positive expressive writing interventions. Moving forward, they suggest that future researchers measure both health and well-being outcomes, assess individual differences across participants, and use more rigorous methods.

The authors add, "Our review shows that positive expressive writing techniques consistently benefit well-being and positively affect outcomes, with the strongest benefits observed for gratitude and the best possible self-writing exercises. Additionally, individual differences may play a role in the effectiveness of these interventions."