| Reference code: | PT/FB/BL-2016-312.07 |
| Location: | BF-GMS
|
Title:
| Heart rate variability correlates of expressive writing
|
| Publication year: | 2019
|
URL:
| https://journals.lww.com/pbj/Fulltext/2019/12000/Abstracts_14th_YES_Meeting.9.aspx
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| Abstract/Results: | ABSTRACT:
INTRODUCTION:
Numerous studies have used the expressive writing task (writing about a personally upsetting experience) and have shown benefits on physical and mental health in various pathologies. These pathologies include eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and cancer.
AIM:
Despite the awareness of these positive health outcomes, the underlying relationship between expressive writing and health is yet to be understood. By understanding this relationship, we can develop expressive writing as a complementary treatment method in disease.
METHODS:
Participants were first-year university students at the University of Porto (n = 57). Each participant was randomly assigned to one of two groups. They either described their daily routine (control group) or a traumatic experience (expressive writing group) for 15 minutes. During the writing task electrocardiogram (ECG) data was recorded. The recorded ECG was divided into five, 5-minute parts (1’ baseline; 3’ writing; 1’ post-writing). Data analysis was conducted by calculating three heart rate variability measures (HRV): SDNN, RMSSD, and LF/HF ratio, representing respectively, overall HRV, parasympathetically mediated HRV and sympathovagal balance. Writing measures were calculated using HandSpy 2.3, to assess for writing processes correlates of expressive writing.
RESULTS:
Results showed that HRV seems to increase from the beginning to the end of the task, regardless of the assigned group, with the expressive group showing significantly higher sympathetically mediated HRV.
CONCLUSION:
These findings suggest that expressive writing has a physical effect on the body through cardiovascular changes, with HRV patterns differing significantly between groups. This could indicate that emotional regulation and coping mechanisms are active while writing about a personally upsetting experience, but not during a neutral writing task.
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| Accessibility: | Document exists in file
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Language:
| eng
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Author:
| Jacques, T.
|
Secondary author(s):
| Costa, F., Fadaei, S., Paiva, J. C., Alves, R. A., Leal, J. P., Barbosa, F.
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Document type:
| Abstract
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Number of reproductions:
| 1
|
Reference:
| Jacques, T., Costa, F., Fadaei, S., Paiva, J. C., Alves, R. A., Leal, J. P., & Barbosa, F. (2019). Heart rate variability correlates of expressive writing. [Abstract]. Porto Biomedical Journal, 4(6), 33. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pbj.0000000000000054
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| Indexed document: | Yes
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| Keywords: | Expressive writing / Heart rate variability / Emotional regulation / Coping mechanisms
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Heart rate variability correlates of expressive writing |