Semiotics

80 Louise Sundararajan, Chulmin Kim, Martina Reynolds et al.

Note. diff=difference score between the writing days (Day2–Day1). sum=weighted mean across the
writing days (Day1+Day2). SUDSpk=subjective units of distress, peak score. sick2m=frequency of
being sick for the last 2 months. Dr12m=frequency of doctor‘s visit post writing, two months to a
year. p<.05, p<.01, p<.001.

Figure 4b. Study 1, partial correlations, between outcome measures and Components of Optimal
Emotion Representation in SSWC (Sundararajan-Schubert Word Count), for (top) Control and (bottom)
Expressive Writing groups.

Facilitative Distance from Experience

Reflexive Self (ourselves, itself): No significant correlations of this variable emerged for
the Expressive Writing group. For the Control Group, increase in the sum total of this
variable across the writing days was associated with both decreased self-reported frequency
of being sick for the last 2 months post writing (r=-.36, p<.05), and decreased health center
visits (r=-.37, p<.05), two months to a year post writing.

Under Distance from Experience

Affected Self (me, ―making me.. .‖): For the Expressive Writing group, increase in the
sum total of this variable across the writing days was associated with more reactivity at the
final interview, as evidenced by a positive correlation with heart rate (r=.49, p<.01).
However, progressive increase of this type of expression from day1 to day 2 of writing was
negatively correlated (r=-.39, p<.05) with self-reported frequency of being sick for the last 2

SUDSpk-0.399*

• 0.6


• 0.3

0.0

0.3

0.6

Affect Focal

(diff)

Affect Focal

(sum)

Valence Focus

(diff)

Valence Focus

(sum)

MEAN

sick2m-0.362* Dr12m

• 0.6 -0.372*


• 0.3

0.0

0.3

0.6

Reflexive Self(diff) Reflexive Self(sum) Detached Self(diff) Detached Self(sum) Attribution(diff)External Attribution(sum)External

MEAN Control

• 0.6


• 0.3

0.0

0.3

0.6

Affect Focal

(diff)

Affect Focal

(sum)

Valence Focus

(diff)

Valence Focus

(sum)

MEAN

• 0.6


• 0.3

0.0

0.3

0.6

Reflexive Self(diff) Reflexive Self(sum) Detached Self(diff) Detached Self(sum) Attribution(diff)External Attribution(sum)External

Expressive

Writing

MEAN

Attention to affect Facilitative distance from experience

Figure 4 b: Study 1 ,partialcorrelations,betweenoutcomemeasuresandComponentsofOptimal

EmotionRepresentationinSSWC(Sundararajan-SchubertWordCount),for(top)Controland(bottom)

ExpressiveWritinggroups.

Note.diff=differencescorebetweenthewritingdays(Day 2 – Day 1 ). sum=weightedmeanacrossthe

writingdays(Day 1 +Day 2 ).SUDSpk=subjectiveunitsofdistress,peakscore.sick 2 m=frequencyofbeing

sickforthelast 2 months.Dr 12 m=frequencyofdoctor’svisitpostwriting,twomonthstoayear.*p<. 05 ,

**p<. 01 ,***p<. 001.