The long-term objective of this research is to better understand how stress affects health and cognition and how the cognitive consequences of stress are related to the health outcomes. The first specific aim is to examine the cognitive benefits of expressive writing and how the cognitive benefits are related to the health benefits of expressive writing. Cognitive and health variables will be measured before and after participants expressively write about ongoing stressful events in their lives.
The second aim i s examine how expressive writing produces cognitive and health benefits, focusing mainly on the changes in one's autobiographical memory for stressful events. Cognitive and health outcomes variables will be measured before and after participants write about various aspects of their memory (sensory, affective, integration of event, etc.). In addition, cognitive and health benefits will be examined in participants who write about more than one stressful event in their life, to determine if the benefits of expressive writing are additive. The third specific aim is to test the potential benefits of the expressive writing technique with persons with Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The cognitive and health outcomes of person with PTSD who write about their traumatic experience will be compared with the cognitive and health outcomes from persons without PTSD who write about a stressful life event.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F32)
Project #
5F32MH066569-02
Application #
6658112
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-RPHB-3 (01))
Program Officer
Altman, Fred
Project Start
2002-09-09
Project End
2005-09-08
Budget Start
2003-09-09
Budget End
2004-09-08
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$41,608
Indirect Cost
Name
Duke University
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
044387793
City
Durham
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27705