Cultural Influences on Written Emotional Disclosure

Abstract

Written emotional disclosure can result in a number of salutary health effects. Despite the writing-health relationship, to date the majority of studies involving the written emotional disclosure paradigm has been conducted in Caucasian samples. However, culture plays a crucial role in shaping how individuals experience and express their emotions. Therefore, researchers have suggested that future studies should investigate whether written emotional disclosure is a useful intervention for individuals from different cultural backgrounds. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether there were differences among Caucasians, Asians, and Polynesians in the way they write about positive and negative experiences, and to compare and contrast the kinds of emotional areas of concern reflected in the writings of each group. One hundred and thirty six participants were instructed to access a secure website and to write for 15 minutes about a positive experience, to write for 15 minutes about a negative experience, and to complete some questionnaires. Results showed that although Caucasian, Asians, and Polynesian participants focused on different topics while disclosing about their positive and negative experiences, there were no significant differences in the way the three groups used positive and negative emotion words in their writing. The findings of this study contribute to the generalisability of the written emotional disclosure intervention. Further work is necessary to identify more cultural and social factors that might enhance or diminish the therapeutic effects of written emotional disclosure.