Taking a step back: Self-distancing dynamics in adolescent writing about peer problems

Can the retelling of an unpleasant experience help adolescents cope with that experience? This study answers that question by looking at the role of psychological self-distancing when adolescents write about recently untold stressful events with peers using either a traditional expressive writing (E...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of adolescence (London, England.) England.), 2018-06, Vol.65 (1), p.6-15
Main Authors: Margola, Davide, Travagin, Gabriele, Dennis, John Lawrence
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescents
Expressive writing
Group-based trajectory modeling
Intervention
Peer problems
Peer relationships
Peers
Personality psychology
Self-distancing
Social interaction
Teenagers
Writing
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Summary:Can the retelling of an unpleasant experience help adolescents cope with that experience? This study answers that question by looking at the role of psychological self-distancing when adolescents write about recently untold stressful events with peers using either a traditional expressive writing (EW) intervention or a cognitively oriented expressive writing (CEW) intervention. Extent of self-distancing (i.e., low and high) as well as its variability (i.e., increasing or stable) were taken into account. Data, obtained from 292 written essays from 78 Italian adolescents (mean age was 12.9; 50% was female), were collected longitudinally on four occasions. Group-based trajectory modeling determined the extent and variability in self-distancing for the two writing interventions (i.e., EW and CEW) and two baseline peer problem conditions (i.e., low and high). Findings indicate that, for adolescents who experience high peer problems at baseline, CEW intervention fosters meaning-making through self-distancing, resulting in being more beneficial than traditional EW.
ISSN:0140-1971
1095-9254
DOI:10.1016/j.adolescence.2018.02.007