Positive writing and positive well-being: Issues and implications

Pages: 61-64
Papri Nath and Rabindra Kumar Pradhan (Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur)

The benefits of positive writing on positive well-being have been widely studied in psychological, health and writing research (Pennebaker & Seagal, 1999; King, 2001; Lyubomirsky, Sousa & Dickerhoof, 2006; Danner, Snowdon, & Friesen, 2001; Creswell et al., 2007). The purpose of the paper is to understand the relationship between positive writing and positive well-being. Writing about one’s negative experiences has been found to positively influence physical and psychological health (Pennebaker & Seagal, 1999; Lyubomirsky, Sousa, & Dickerhoof, 2006; Creswell et al., 2007). But few recent studies have gradually shifted the focus towards positive writing termed as insight view. Insight view says that writing about positive experiences or positive aspect of negative experiences leads to positive growth (King, 2001). The present paper makes an attempt to understand the underlying factors and processes behind positive writing and positive well-being. Theoretical and practical implications of positive writing in positive well-being have also been discussed.