Use of expressive writing to mediate the effects of PTSD symptomology on female domestic violence victims

Abstract

This study examined the effectiveness of expressive writing in increasing general mental health and specifically PTSD symptomology for women residing in a domestic violence shelter. Two experimental expressive writing instructions were used. Seventy-nine women were randomly assigned to either a control group writing about items in their environment, a narrative group asking them to create a story about their history of abuse, or a repeated exposure group where they wrote repeatedly about their most frightening experience of abuse. Of the 79 participants, 28 completed all requirements of inclusion. Participants wrote for 4 consecutive days. Treatment effects were measured with the use of the Symptom Checklist 90 Revised and the Impact of Events Scale - Revised. Results did not support the use of expressive writing for female victims of domestic violence to increase general mental health or reduction of PTSD symptoms.