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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07188519

A Study of Effects of Expressive Writing on College Students Experiencing Psychological Difficulties

This study aims to improve college students' mental health through expressive writing. Over the next eight weeks, I would like you to write about some of the experiences that have had the greatest impact on your life. These may be positive or negative, and may relate to the present, past, or future. As you write, you may describe the event from both positive and negative perspectives. We encourage you to genuinely explore your deepest emotions and thoughts. Whatever you choose to write about, the crucial point is that you truly delve into your innermost feelings and reflections. You may relate your experiences to anyone in your life, including your parents, friends, and relatives. We hope you will endeavour to write about significant experiences you have never discussed in detail with others. During your writing, do not concern yourself with linguistic expression. We wish for you to convey your deepest emotions and thoughts as fully as possible. The content of your writing will not influence our perception of you; it is held in absolute confidence and security. The sole rule for this writing session is that once you begin writing, you must continue until the time concludes (each session is timed for 20-25 minutes). After the writing period ends, you may choose whether to submit your written text.

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Key information

Conditions

Negative Emotions Self Cognition

Age range

18 year–24 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Shandong University

Jinan, Shandong, 250100, China

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • A score indicating mild or higher depressive symptoms on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI);
  • Age ranging from 18 to 29 years old;
  • Educational background of undergraduate degree or above; -

Exclusion criteria

  • Participants with no depressive symptoms
  • Participants with writing difficulties, dysgraphia, or dyslexia
  • Participants with severe physical illnesses or without civil capacity -

Treatment and study plan

expressive writing

Other

Each of the four rounds consisted of three consecutive days of writing followed by a gap week.

Primary outcomes

  1. self cognition

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of study at one year.

    Additionally, to assess changes at cognitive levels, we separately recorded and compared the items related to self-cognition (7 items) within the BDI-II. The specific determination rules were as follows:the direction of score change at the item level served as the basis for judgement. Within a given assessment interval, we compared the number of items that decreased (indicating improvement) with those that increased (indicating deterioration). If decreases outnumbered increases, we classified the interval as improvement-predominant; otherwise, deterioration predominated. If the two were comparable, the change was recorded as insignificant. Accordingly, we sequentially compared items across the self cognition dimensions in the nine assessments, thereby revealing the immediate and sustained manifestations of expressive writing at both cognitive levels. Besides, the cognitive words and self cognition related sentences in interview were also analysis as the evidences for self cognition.

  2. negative emotion and positive emotion

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of study at one year

    we separately recorded and compared the items related to emotional state (5 items) The specific determination rules were as follows: the direction of score change at the item level served as the basis for judgement. Within a given assessment interval, we compared the number of items that decreased (indicating improvement) with those that increased (indicating deterioration). If decreases outnumbered increases, we classified the interval as improvement-predominant; otherwise, deterioration predominated. If the two were comparable, the change was recorded as insignificant. Accordingly, we sequentially compared items across the negtaive emotion and positive emotion dimensions in the nine assessments, thereby revealing the immediate and sustained manifestations of expressive writing at both emotional levels. Besides, the emotional words used in the writing texts and emotional related senteneces in semi-strcutured interview also analysis as the evidences for positive and negtaive emotion.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Shandong University

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2024
First posted
Sep 23, 2025
Registry last updated
Sep 23, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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