Effectiveness of Best Possible Self and Gratitude Writing Intervention on Mental Health Among Parents of Troubled Children

• Published in: Journal of psychosocial nursing and mental health services Vol. 58; no. 9; pp. 31 - 39
• Main Author: Kim-Godwin, YeounSoo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thorofare Slack, Inc 01.09.2020; SLACK INCORPORATED
• Subjects: Anxiety; Blood pressure; Child & adolescent mental health; Child & adolescent psychiatry; Child psychology; College students; Demographic aspects; Emotions; Gratitude; Health aspects; Hormones; Intervention; Mental depression; Mental health; Methods; Nursing; Nursing care; Parents & parenting; Perceptions; Physiological aspects; Psychological aspects; Social aspects; Stress; Teenagers; Writing; United States
• ISSN: 0279-3695; 1938-2413
• DOI: 10.3928/02793695-20200624-07

The current study was conducted to determine if journaling focused on best possible self and gratitude could improve physiological and mental health outcomes in a sample of affected parents who have teenagers or adult children with emotional and/or behavioral problems. A quasi-experimental, pretest/posttest design was used with blood pressure measure and saliva collection at baseline, after a first journal entry, and after a 6-week journaling intervention. Among 42 parents who completed the pretest, 37 (88.1%) completed the 6-week guided journal and posttest. Findings of paired t tests indicated a statistically significant decrease in stress level (p < 0.001), anxiety (p < 0.001), somatic symptoms (p = 0.001), and depression (p = 0.01), as well as increased gratitude (p = 0.012) among participants. Repeated measures analysis of variance indicated the journaling intervention showed a statistically significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (p = 0.016), but not diastolic blood pressure, or cortisol level at the three testing times. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 58(9), 31–39.]