title: THE EFFECTS OF EXPRESSIVE WRITING ON POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION AND POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS SYMPTOMS.
abstract: This study investigated whether an Expressive Writing intervention decreased depression and posttraumatic stress symptoms after childbirth. 113 women (M age = 31.26 yr., SD = 4.42) were assessed at Time 1 for depression (Beck Depression Inventory) and PTS (Perinatal PTSD Questionnaire) in the first days after childbirth, then randomized to either expressive writing or neutral writing conditions and reassessed at Time 2, 3 months later. The results (ANCOVAs, regression models) show that at 3 mo. depressive and posttraumatic symptoms were lower in women who performed the expressive writing task than in the neutral writing group. Moreover, the intervention condition was associated significantly with decreased depression at the high and at the mean levels of baseline depression at Time 1. Regarding PTSD, the results showed that the intervention condition was linked significantly to reductions of the symptoms at all levels of baseline PTSD. Mainly, these outcomes suggest that Expressive Writing can be a helpful early and low-cost universal intervention to prevent postpartum distress for women.
authors.affiliation: 1 C.R.I.d.e.e., Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore.
authors.forename: Paola Di
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Blasio
authors.affiliation: 2 Università degli Studi E-Campus, Novedrate, Como.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Camisasca
authors.affiliation: 1 C.R.I.d.e.e., Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore.
authors.forename: Simona Carla Silvia
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Caravita
authors.affiliation: 1 C.R.I.d.e.e., Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ionio
authors.affiliation: 1 C.R.I.d.e.e., Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Milani
authors.affiliation: 1 C.R.I.d.e.e., Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore.
authors.forename: Giovanni Giulio
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Valtolina
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014956:Writing; D055815:Young Adult