The effect of expressive writing on the error-related negativity among individuals with chronic worry

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Hans S Schroder, Michigan State University; Tim Moran, Emory University; JasonS Moser, Michigan State University
• Language: English
• Date: 2018-02-01
• Publisher: WILEY
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2017 Society for Psychophysiological Research
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/psyp.12990
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY
• Volume: 55
• Issue: 2
• Start Page: e12990
• End Page: e12990
• Grant/Funding Information: JSM was funded by National Institutes of Health K12 grant (HD065879). Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of these funding agencies.; HSS was supported by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF Award No. DGE-0802267).
• Keywords: Neurosciences; Neurosciences & Neurology; Psychology; worry; PERFORMANCE; QUESTIONNAIRE; Science & Technology; OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER; Physiology; DISCLOSURE; WORKING-MEMORY CAPACITY; Psychology, Experimental; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Social Sciences; expressive writing; GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER; cognitive control; MONITORING BRAIN ACTIVITY; ERN; Psychology, Biological

Abstract

The error-related negativity (ERN), an ERP elicited immediately after errors, is enlarged among individuals with anxiety. The relationship between anxiety and enlarged ERN has spurred interest in understanding potential therapeutic benefits of decreasing its amplitude within anxious individuals. The current study used a tailored intervention—expressive writing—in an attempt to reduce the ERN among a sample of individuals with chronic worry. Consistent with hypotheses, the ERN was reduced in the expressive writing group compared to an unrelated writing control group. Findings provide experimental support that the ERN can be reduced among anxious individuals with tailored interventions. Expressive writing may serve to “offload” worries from working memory, therefore relieving the distracting effects of worry on cognition as reflected in a decreased ERN.