Linguistic markers of processing trauma experience in women’s written narratives during different breast cancer phases: Implications for clinical interventions
Author(s) / Creator(s)
Martino, Maria Luisa
Onorato, Raffaella
Freda, Maria Francesca
Abstract / Description
Research into the change processes underlying the benefits of expressive writing is still incomplete. To fill this gap, we investigated the linguistic markers of change in cognitive and emotional processing among women with breast cancer, highlighting the differences and peculiarities during different treatment phases. A total of 60 writings were collected from 20 women: 10 receiving chemotherapy and 10 receiving biological therapy. We performed a series of repeated measures ANOVA for the most meaningful LIWC linguistic categories, including positive/negative emotions and cognitive processes, to assess change over three sessions. Results demonstrated a significant increase in the positive emotions category for the entire group of women, with particular relevance for the biological therapy group of women, and a marginally significant (p = .07) greater use of words indicating cognitive processes for women receiving biological therapy. For the negative emotions category time was significant for the whole group of women, showing a peak of use in the second session of writing. Peculiar differences in the linguistic markers of processing trauma were observed between the two groups. Although the writing intervention is a support for both groups of women, it seems to be beneficial when there is a large time gap since the administration of chemotherapy and, thus, when the patient can revisit the experience. The relationship of the illness with life can be rearticulated, and the writing becomes a space for resignifying the traumatic cancer experience.
Keyword(s)
linguistic markers expressive writing narrative emotional and cognitive processing breast cancer clinical interventionsPersistent Identifier
Date of first publication
2015-11-27
Journal title
Europe's Journal of Psychology
Volume
11
Issue
4
Page numbers
651–663
Publisher
PsychOpen GOLD
Publication status
publishedVersion
Review status
peerReviewed
Is version of
Citation
Martino, M. L., Onorato, R., & Freda, M. F. (2015). Linguistic markers of processing trauma experience in women’s written narratives during different breast cancer phases: Implications for clinical interventions. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 11(4), 651–663. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v11i4.991
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ejop.v11i4.991.pdfAdobe PDF - 422.03KBMD5: 8d78b740f5b5192e1d5669afa4de0835
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Martino, Maria Luisa
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Onorato, Raffaella
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Freda, Maria Francesca
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PsychArchives acquisition timestamp2018-11-21T09:59:35Z
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Made available on2018-11-21T09:59:35Z
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Date of first publication2015-11-27
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Abstract / DescriptionResearch into the change processes underlying the benefits of expressive writing is still incomplete. To fill this gap, we investigated the linguistic markers of change in cognitive and emotional processing among women with breast cancer, highlighting the differences and peculiarities during different treatment phases. A total of 60 writings were collected from 20 women: 10 receiving chemotherapy and 10 receiving biological therapy. We performed a series of repeated measures ANOVA for the most meaningful LIWC linguistic categories, including positive/negative emotions and cognitive processes, to assess change over three sessions. Results demonstrated a significant increase in the positive emotions category for the entire group of women, with particular relevance for the biological therapy group of women, and a marginally significant (p = .07) greater use of words indicating cognitive processes for women receiving biological therapy. For the negative emotions category time was significant for the whole group of women, showing a peak of use in the second session of writing. Peculiar differences in the linguistic markers of processing trauma were observed between the two groups. Although the writing intervention is a support for both groups of women, it seems to be beneficial when there is a large time gap since the administration of chemotherapy and, thus, when the patient can revisit the experience. The relationship of the illness with life can be rearticulated, and the writing becomes a space for resignifying the traumatic cancer experience.en_US
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Publication statuspublishedVersion
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Review statuspeerReviewed
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CitationMartino, M. L., Onorato, R., & Freda, M. F. (2015). Linguistic markers of processing trauma experience in women’s written narratives during different breast cancer phases: Implications for clinical interventions. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 11(4), 651–663. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v11i4.991
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ISSN1841-0413
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Persistent Identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/983
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Persistent Identifierhttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1175
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Language of contenteng
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PublisherPsychOpen GOLD
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Is version ofhttps://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v11i4.991
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Keyword(s)linguistic markersen_US
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Keyword(s)expressive writingen_US
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Keyword(s)narrativeen_US
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Keyword(s)emotional and cognitive processingen_US
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Keyword(s)breast canceren_US
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Keyword(s)clinical interventionsen_US
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Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)150
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TitleLinguistic markers of processing trauma experience in women’s written narratives during different breast cancer phases: Implications for clinical interventionsen_US
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DRO typearticle
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Issue4
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Journal titleEurope's Journal of Psychology
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Page numbers651–663
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Volume11
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Visible tag(s)Version of Record