Self-Distancing May Be Harmful: Third-Person Writing Increases Levels of Depressive Symptoms Compared to Traditional Expressive Writing and No Writing

Abstract

Introduction: The positive effects of expressive writing on both mental and physical health are well documented. However, expressive writing may have the potential to activate negative schemas and facilitate rumination in those at high cognitive risk for depression (Yasinski, Hayes, & Laurenceau, 2016). The current research tested the hypothesis that writing using self-distancing would be more effective than traditional expressive writing in preventing depressive symptoms for those at high cognitive risk for depression. Method: Two studies using undergraduate samples (n = 104 and n = 80) were conducted to test our hypotheses. Both studies used a two-week daily writing experimental design. Results: Contrary to hypotheses, Study 1 found that individuals randomly assigned to a self-distancing writing condition reported greater levels of depressive symptoms than those assigned to a traditional expressive writing condition. The results of Study 2 replicated the results of Study 1. Participants randomly assigned to the self-distancing writing condition reported significantly greater levels of depressive symptoms than those in the expressive writing and no-writing control conditions. The effect of writing condition in Study 2 was driven by those with high levels of cognitive vulnerability. Discussion: Results suggest that writing using self-distancing should not be used for the prevention of depressive symptoms.