Who Benefits from Pennebaker’s Expressive Writing? More Research Recommendations: A Commentary on Range and Jenkins

Abstract

This manuscript is a commentary on Range and Jenkins' (2010) exploration of possible gender differences in the outcomes of Pennebaker's expressive writing paradigm. It too examines possible gender differences, but uses a different perspective and extends Range and Jenkins' work. She focuses solely on reasons outcomes might be more beneficial for men, while this commentary looks at outcomes that may favor either gender. It employs a communication and emotion framework and explores the effects of previous trauma disclosure, women's tendency to ruminate, and the congruence of written instructions and preferred communication style. Also examined are shame, an emotion associated with some traumas, socially appropriate emotion expression, and the impact of alexithymia on emotional disclosure. Research recommendations are provided.

More Research Questions: Rebuttal to Bornstein, Langer, and Stickney

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Stickney (2010), Bornstein (2010), and Langer (2010) expand the research recommendations for experimental writing research that Range and Jenkins (2010) generated from gender schema, gender role, and socialization theory. Stickney derives research questions from communication and emotion theory.

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“…Stickney (2010), Bornstein (2010), and Langer (2010) expand these recommendations in different ways. Stickney adds two theories and research recommendations that follow from each: communication theory predicts differential impact from previous trauma disclosure, rumination, and the congruence/incongruence of writing instructions and preferred communication style; and emotion theory predicts that culture and alexithymia potentially intersect with writing to differentially impact women and men.…”

“…We add the alternative that because persistent rumination may indicate incomplete or unsuccessful cognitive processing, EW may promote cognitive processing and help women more than men. Stickney (2010) recommends that future researchers analyze the writing for the extent to which the writer ruminates. We agree that rumination may make a difference, and add that there are two types of rumination: brooding and pondering.…”

“…Both Stickney (2010) and Langer (2010) noted that emotion theory is uniquely relevant to EW research in which participants write about trauma because traumas induce strong emotions, and women are more emotionally expressive than men. Thus, women may respond differently than men to the EW paradigm.…”

“…Thus, Stickney's recommendation to examine the intersection of gender and culture with regard to shame has a sound theoretical basis. Stickney (2010) also noted that emotion theory relates to alexithymia, a disorder that includes difficulty identifying, describing, and communicating feelings. Stickney identified four studies in which writing helped people with alexithymia, and one in which it did not help.…”