Table 1.
Comparisons of Written Emotional Disclosure and Control Writing on Health Measures at Baseline, 1-Month, and 3-Month Follow-ups (Completer Sample, n = 72)
| Dependent measure Time point |
Disclosure Mean (SD) |
Control Mean (SD) |
F | P | ES | d |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global impact | ||||||
| Baseline | 58.26 (20.49) | 52.93 (18.11) | 1.34 | .25 | ||
| 1-month | 56.60 (20.42) | 53.31 (17.79) | 0.90 | .34 | .16 | .23 |
| 3-month | 52.70 (20.35) | 53.79 (18.13) | 4.48 | .04 | .34 | .50 |
| Physical Disability | ||||||
| Baseline | 2.07 (0.70) | 1.81 (0.53) | 3.13 | .08 | ||
| 1-month | 2.04 (0.70) | 1.91 (0.57) | 2.35 | .13 | .23 | .37 |
| 3-month | 2.03 (0.72) | 1.90 (0.59) | 3.66 | .06 | .24 | .46 |
| Pain | ||||||
| Baseline | 3.54 (0.95) | 3.19 (0.94) | 2.50 | .12 | ||
| 1-month | 3.32 (0.98) | 3.20 (0.88) | 3.30 | .07 | .28 | .42 |
| 3-month | 3.51 (0.91) | 3.34 (0.87) | 1.93 | .17 | .22 | .34 |
| Fatigue | ||||||
| Baseline | 5.81 (1.04) | 5.62 (1.21) | 0.22 | .48 | ||
| 1-month | 5.49 (1.33) | 5.70 (1.09) | 2.79 | .10 | .31 | .40 |
| 3-month | 5.66 (1.24) | 5.84 (1.11) | 1.55 | .22 | .29 | .30 |
| Poor Sleep | ||||||
| Baseline | 4.62 (1.07) | 3.90 (0.99) | 8.41 | .005 | ||
| 1-month | 4.28 (1.05) | 4.19 (0.83) | 6.15 | .02 | .52 | .58 |
| 3-month | 4.23 (1.06) | 4.22 (0.90) | 7.81 | .007 | .65 | .66 |
| Health care utilization | ||||||
| Baseline | 1.56 (2.13) | 1.44 (1.81) | 0.06 | .81 | ||
| 1-month | 1.66 (1.51) | 2.16 (2.23) | 2.05 | .16 | .30 | .34 |
| 3-month | 1.13 (1.07) | 1.80 (2.21) | 3.94 | .05 | .37 | .47 |
| Negative affect | ||||||
| Baseline | 2.14 (0.69) | 2.28 (0.94) | 0.48 | .49 | ||
| 1-month | 2.12 (0.78) | 1.94 (0.70) | 4.07 | .048 | −.34 | −.48 |
| 3-month | 1.91 (0.71) | 2.14 (0.78) | 0.28 | .60 | .11 | .13 |
| Lack of social support | ||||||
| Baseline | 2.79 (1.10) | 3.13 (1.26) | 1.44 | .23 | ||
| 1-month | 2.84 (1.16) | 2.72 (1.14) | 5.10 | .03 | −.41 | −.53 |
| 3-month | 2.52 (1.05) | 2.84 (1.24) | 0.01 | .91 | −.02 | −.03 |
Note. N for baseline is Disclosure (n = 38) and Control (n = 34). For 1-month follow-up, Disclosure (n = 37) and Control (n = 32). For 3-month follow-up, Disclosure (n = 36) and Control (n = 32).
F and p-values for the baseline rows are from an ANOVA comparing the two groups on baseline values. F and p-values for the 1-month and 3-month rows are from the group × time interaction from a repeated-measures ANOVA that included the baseline and the one follow-up point as within-subject variables. ES is the difference between disclosure group change score (follow-up minus baseline) and control group change score divided by the pooled baseline SD. Cohen’s d is the same numerator divided by the pooled SD of the change scores. Positive values of ES and d indicate greater improvement in the disclosure group than control group. Negative values indicate greater improvement in the control group than disclosure group.