ProGCouns (Journal of Professionals in Guidance and Counseling)

Findings and Discussion

Some of the data analyzed in the article was related to goals and scope, procedures, and
the success of applying expressive writing in reducing stress. The following research results had
been analyzed:
1. Goals and scope
The goals and scope of the application of expressive writing in reducing stress explain the
number of participants, age, gender, origin, and scope of the problem. The number of
respondents or subjects in each study varied from 2 to 1090 people. In general, the participants in
the reviewed studies ranged in age from 6 to 45 years. This showed that expressive writing could
be used in a wide age range. Mostly used for high school and college aged children where
cognitively they were already able to compose writing well. Viewed from gender, expressive
writing was used for both men and women, although it was not studied more deeply which group
this technique is more effective for. While the backgrounds of the subjects in the research studied
showed that their backgrounds vary from students, nurses, social workers, psychologists and
other professions. In fact, there were studies that examined special populations such as albinos,
people with traumatic experiences, and people who had long-term illness or Covid-19. Judging
from the country of origin, this study found studies from Indonesia, Japan, Australia, New
Zealand and Singapore.
2. Procedure
The literature reviewed showed the various procedures followed in each study when
applying expressive writing. One of the procedures carried out was by filling out a questionnaire
at the assessment stage using the perceived stress scale before giving treatment. The intervention
provided by the expert was carried out in four general stages, namely: recognition/initial writing,
examination writing/exercise, juxtaposition/feedback, and application to the self. Other model
interventions were carried out by utilizing the expressive writing therapy module and workbook
sheets. Studies that used an experimental approach usually divided the group into a control group
and a treatment group. While other designs use pre-test and post-test models. The data analysis
conducted was very dependent on the design of the research carried out and, in the study, varies
greatly from quantitative and qualitative data. One result that showed a visible change was by
giving expressive writing treatment in the form of asking participants to carry out activities to
write down experiences or events that are upsetting and stressful. They were then expressively
instructed to write continuously for 15 minutes a day for 4 days straight. They received specific
instructions on what topics to write about. This process stimulated individual awareness of the
problem or emotional dynamics which would then help them to better understand themselves
and make plans for change.
3. Effectiveness
Literature review showed that writing expressive sentences could help relieve stress and
improve one's concentration and reflexes. Expressive writing was also found to reduce students'
academic stress. Several studies had found that there was an effect of expressive writing therapy
on children's stress. Furthermore, another interesting finding was that there was a significant
difference in the level of academic load felt by junior high school students who wrote
expressively and those who wrote non-expressively. Expressive writing therapy could be used to
reduce depression, anxiety and stress in adolescents in the process of social rehabilitation. This
was because expressive writing could provide relief although it could not reduce the symptoms of
post-traumatic stress. The shortcoming found in expressive writing was that the counselee must
not only be prepared to deal with these emotions, but the therapist must also be able to recognize
and properly handle situations where feelings could become overwhelming for the counselee. In
a group setting, the overwhelming feeling of expressive writing could affect others in a group that
needs to be anticipated.

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ProGCouns (Journal of Professionals in Guidance and Counseling)

Based on the research conducted, it creates various data that needs to be discussed further.
Explanation of the objectives and scope shows that expressive writing can reduce stress for children,
youth, adults, and the elderly, male and female, with an age range of 6 to 45 years with the number of
participants ranging from 2-1090 people. While the scope of expressive writing in reducing stress is in
the form of stress in children, academic stress, stress due to the impact of Covid-19 stress on anxiety,
specific phobias, post-traumatic stress in women victims of domestic violence, lupus, domestic
violence and during dating, post-traumatic stress disorder, albino, stress on overseas students, stress on
pregnant women, stress on post-traumatic and other traumas. Therefore, expressive writing can be
applied with targets at all ages from children to the elderly, and is able to cover the scope of problems
from various types of stress.
Expressive writing therapy can be used by all age groups, from children, adolescents to adults.
According to White and Murray, writing therapy can be used individually or in groups (White &
Murray, 2002). The benefits of using this method are: 1) it makes it easier for people to express their
emotions more carefully. 2) people can solve problems from within. 3) people can overcome the
negative symptoms of anxiety problems (dizziness, stomach ache, etc.), 4) strengthen self-
development.
The procedure for applying expressive writing was found to have no definite procedure,
during the intervention both groups and individuals as the procedure had been modified in such a way
as needed. According to Wright in (Susilowati & Hasanat, 2011) expressive writing is a writing activity
that reflects the client's reflection and expression, either on his own initiative or on the advice of a
therapist or researcher. Some researchers use expressive writing as a research intervention method. For
example, Von Kleine and Adriel explored expressive writing, the results of which are described within
the framework of a model based on cognitive and social psychology theory. Expressive writing reduces
thoughts about stressful experiences and frees up sources of information in working memory.
Pennebaker found that there is much benefit in writing about highly emotional subjects for 15–20
minutes, regardless of grammar or words (Pennebaker, 1997). This method then is called expressive
writing. Paez found that exposure to or exposure to stressful traumatic events manifested in expressive
writing procedures resulted in higher levels of physical well-being (eg, fewer visits to medical facilities)
(Qonitatin et al., 2011).
The common procedure of expressive writing is conducted about 15 minutes a day, 3 days a
week on a deep writing topic. There are some explanations and conclusions about how expressive
writing affects physical and psychological conditions, emotional expression, habits that stimulate
emotions, language and emotions, the use of emotional sentences in sentences, story construction,
cognitive word analysis and writing as a means to change perspectives (Welch et al., 2020).
Various stress problems experienced by individuals has a positive impact. The application of
expressive writing is effectively able and successful to overcome various types of stress. Another factor
that influences the results is personality type. How to deal with a problem is different for everyone.
This is related to the personality type of the participants who take part in the research treatment.
According to Eysenck's opinion (Rahmandani et al., 2018), everyone is unique and different depending
on their personality.
Pennebaker found that expressive writing was more effective when given to participants with
introverted personalities (Pennebaker, 2018). In introverted individuals, when dealing with something,
the influential factors are subjective factors that come from their own inner world. When an
introverted individual cannot make peace with themselves, it will cause stress, because the conflicts
they experienced are not channeled properly. When developmental tasks are not fulfilled, it will
certainly be a pressure or a source of stress for them. Maybe their stress will not be seen in subjects
with extroverted personality types, but that does not mean they do not feel the stress. Those with
introverted personality types tend to try to hold it in themselves and within themselves. Through
expressive writing activities, it is even easier for subjects with introverted personality types to express
their emotions. Because in the context of writing, individuals are not required to disclose to others.
When the subject writes expressively, it is as if this only transfers their thoughts and feelings into a

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 ProGCouns (Journal of Professionals in Guidance and Counseling)

written narrative. Therefore, expressive writing can be effectively given to subjects with introverted
personality types.
Expressive writing for people who feel lonely, alienated and dare to express their thoughts and
feelings without considering the judgments of others would be useful. In the finding, expressive
writing found to be reassured for women with unstable extroverted personality, although it cannot
reduce symptoms of increased stress. Expressive writing therapy is a technique of writing down
disturbing experiences. This simple activity can help improve your physical and mental health over
time. This therapy is a writing technique that helps escape from emotional confusion in life (Danarti et
al., 2018). It reduces stress with written disclosure by inhibiting emotional release dan by helping to
organize traumatic memories of oneself, others. It shows that we can bring about more adaptable and
integrated schemes that lead the world (Rahmawati, 2014).
The writing process allows them to learn to adjust their emotions in a positive way. Therefore,
writing helps the subject adjust their traumatic memory and lead to a more adaptive and integrated self-
scheme with other people and the environment (Rahmawati, 2014). According to Bolton, writing
explores and expresses thoughts, emotions and spirituality, communicating with oneself and
developing thoughts and awareness of events to be its own strengths (Bolton, 2011). Rahmawati's
research also showed that stress levels changed before and after treatment in the form of expressive
sentences (Rahmawati, 2014). Expressive writing therapy can be used to treat emotional problems.
This has been shown to reduce stress levels among the respondents in this study.

Conclusion
Based on the research that has been done, the following conclusions can be drawn: (1)
the process of extracting information related to the literature on the application of expressive
writing in reducing stress by finding, collecting, studying, and analyzing; (2) the target scope of
the application of expressive writing is that expressive writing can reduce various types of stress
disorders in children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly who are male and female with an age
range of 6 to 45 years and with the number of participants ranging from 2-1090 subjects; (3) the
procedure for applying expressive writing in reducing stress is carried out with a certain stage,
number of sessions, and duration according to research needs. In carrying out interventions both
in groups and individually without using special procedures, the procedures have been modified
in such a way as needed; (4) expressive writing is effectively capable and successful in overcoming
various types of stress.

References
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