Ethnicity moderates the outcomes of self-enhancement and self-improvement themes in expressive writing

William Tsai; Anna S. Lau; Andrea N. Niles; Jordan Coello; Matthew D. Lieberman; Ahra C. Ko; Christopher Hur; Annette L. Stanton

doi:10.1037/cdp0000012

Ethnicity moderates the outcomes of self-enhancement and self-improvement themes in expressive writing

William Tsai, Anna S. Lau, Andrea N. Niles, Jordan Coello, Matthew D. Lieberman, Ahra C. Ko, Christopher Hur, Annette L. Stanton

Applied Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The current study examined whether writing content related to self-enhancing (viz., downward social comparison and situational attributions) and self-improving (viz., upward social comparison and persistence) motivations were differentially related to expressive writing outcomes among 17 Asian American and 17 European American participants. Content analysis of the essays revealed no significant cultural group differences in the likelihood of engaging in self-enhancing versus self-improving reflections on negative personal experiences. However, cultural group differences were apparent in the relation between self-motivation processes and changes in anxiety and depressive symptoms at 3-month follow-up. Among European Americans, writing that reflected downward social comparison predicted positive outcomes, whereas persistence writing themes were related to poorer outcomes. For Asian Americans, writing about persistence was related to positive outcomes, whereas downward social comparison and situational attributions predicted poorer outcomes. Findings provide evidence suggesting culturally distinct mechanisms for the effects of expressive disclosure.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	584-592
Number of pages	9
Journal	Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology
Volume	21
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000012
State	Published - Oct 1 2015

Keywords

Asian
Culture
Expressive writing
Self-enhancement
Self-improvement

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Social Psychology
Sociology and Political Science

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10.1037/cdp0000012

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title = "Ethnicity moderates the outcomes of self-enhancement and self-improvement themes in expressive writing",

abstract = "The current study examined whether writing content related to self-enhancing (viz., downward social comparison and situational attributions) and self-improving (viz., upward social comparison and persistence) motivations were differentially related to expressive writing outcomes among 17 Asian American and 17 European American participants. Content analysis of the essays revealed no significant cultural group differences in the likelihood of engaging in self-enhancing versus self-improving reflections on negative personal experiences. However, cultural group differences were apparent in the relation between self-motivation processes and changes in anxiety and depressive symptoms at 3-month follow-up. Among European Americans, writing that reflected downward social comparison predicted positive outcomes, whereas persistence writing themes were related to poorer outcomes. For Asian Americans, writing about persistence was related to positive outcomes, whereas downward social comparison and situational attributions predicted poorer outcomes. Findings provide evidence suggesting culturally distinct mechanisms for the effects of expressive disclosure.",

keywords = "Asian, Culture, Expressive writing, Self-enhancement, Self-improvement",

author = "William Tsai and Lau, {Anna S.} and Niles, {Andrea N.} and Jordan Coello and Lieberman, {Matthew D.} and Ko, {Ahra C.} and Christopher Hur and Stanton, {Annette L.}",

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AU - Tsai, William

AU - Lau, Anna S.

AU - Niles, Andrea N.

AU - Coello, Jordan

AU - Lieberman, Matthew D.

AU - Ko, Ahra C.

AU - Hur, Christopher

AU - Stanton, Annette L.

PY - 2015/10/1

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N2 - The current study examined whether writing content related to self-enhancing (viz., downward social comparison and situational attributions) and self-improving (viz., upward social comparison and persistence) motivations were differentially related to expressive writing outcomes among 17 Asian American and 17 European American participants. Content analysis of the essays revealed no significant cultural group differences in the likelihood of engaging in self-enhancing versus self-improving reflections on negative personal experiences. However, cultural group differences were apparent in the relation between self-motivation processes and changes in anxiety and depressive symptoms at 3-month follow-up. Among European Americans, writing that reflected downward social comparison predicted positive outcomes, whereas persistence writing themes were related to poorer outcomes. For Asian Americans, writing about persistence was related to positive outcomes, whereas downward social comparison and situational attributions predicted poorer outcomes. Findings provide evidence suggesting culturally distinct mechanisms for the effects of expressive disclosure.

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Ethnicity moderates the outcomes of self-enhancement and self-improvement themes in expressive writing

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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