Does therapeutic writing help people with long-term conditions? Systematic review, realist synthesis and economic considerations

Perez Nyssen O, Taylor SJC, Wong G, Steed E, Bourke L, Lord J, Ross CA, Hayman S, Field V, Higgins A, Greenhalgh T, Meads C
Record ID 32013001065
English
Authors' objectives: To review the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of TW for people with long-term conditions (LTCs) compared with no writing, or other controls, reporting any relevant clinical outcomes. To conduct a realist synthesis to understand how therapeutic writing (TW) might work, and for whom. Writing therapy to improve physical or mental health can take many forms. The most researched model of TW is unfacilitated, individual expressive writing (written emotional disclosure). Facilitated writing activities are less widely researched.
Authors' recommendations: Overall, there is little evidence to support the therapeutic effectiveness or cost-effectiveness of unfacilitated expressive writing interventions in people with LTCs. Further research focused on facilitated TW in people with LTCs could be informative.
Details
Project Status: Completed
URL for project: http://www.nets.nihr.ac.uk/projects/hta/117001
Year Published: 2016
URL for published report: http://www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/hta/hta20270/#/abstract
English language abstract: An English language summary is available
Publication Type: Not Assigned
Country: England, United Kingdom
MeSH Terms
  • Humans
  • Writing
  • Chronic Disease
Contact
Organisation Name: NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme
Contact Address: NIHR Journals Library, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre, Alpha House, University of Southampton Science Park, Southampton SO16 7NS, UK
Contact Name: journals.library@nihr.ac.uk
Contact Email: journals.library@nihr.ac.uk
Copyright: Queen's Printer and Controller of HMSO
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.