The Changes of illness perception, negative emotions and arterial blood pressure applying the method of expressive writing in the patients of ischemic heart disease : [elektroninis išteklius - kompaktinis diskas]

Abstract

The expressive writing about stressful events has been found to result in improvements in both physical and psychological health. The aim of the study was to determine the changes of illness perception, negative emotions and arterial blood pressure in the patients of ischemic heart disease applying the method of expressive writing. Methods: 126 cardiac patients from two rehabilitation hospitals completed the course of four sessions. Brief illness perception questionnaire PANAS-X were used to assess patients. Results: The patients of the expressive writing group believed that their illness had less serious consequences (p=0,027) and greater personal control (p=0,030); they also experienced fewer emotions towards the illness (p=0,006) as well as perceived their illness significantly more clearly (p=0,001); they also felt fewer negative emotions (p=0,011); their systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p=0,049) was lower in comparison with the patients from the non-writing group. Discussion: After four sessions patients in the expressive writing group changed four out of eight items of illness perception, also reduced negative emotions and SBP than patients in the non-writing group.