Smith Michael A, Hoult Lauren M, Rippon Daniel, O'Brien Nicola, Branley-Bell Dawn, Byrne-Davis Lucie, Collins Caitriona, Gallagher Stephen, Kinman Gail, Mark Arron, O'Connor Daryl B, Vedhara Kavita, Williams Glenn P, Wetherell Mark A
Department of Psychology, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
Division of Medical Education, School of Medical Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
PLoS One. 2025 Aug 25;20(8):e0328801. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0328801. eCollection 2025.
Healthcare workers in the UK report high levels of burnout and poor wellbeing, and interventions are urgently needed to address this issue. Expressive writing, whereby individuals write about emotionally laden thoughts or experiences, is an effective intervention for reducing stress and enhancing wellbeing, and is a potential candidate for use with healthcare workers. However, it is crucial that the preferences of healthcare workers are taken into account in the design of future trials in this area, and that perceived barriers and facilitators to engaging with expressive writing activities are considered. Therefore, the present study aimed to seek healthcare workers' views on expressive writing activities for enhancing wellbeing. We informed 11 UK-based health and social care professionals about current research into the potential wellbeing benefits of expressive writing activities and conducted 1:1 semi-structured interviews to determine their preferences, perceived facilitators and barriers to engaging routinely with expressive writing. Data were analysed using deductive, reflective thematic analysis, with the coding framework informed by the Capability-Opportunity-Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) Model. Key findings, from the perspective of future trial design, were that participants preferred the three good things (writing down three good things that have happened during the day), written benefit finding (writing about positive emotions, thoughts, feelings and life changes in relation to an unfavourable experience) and gratitude letter (writing a letter of appreciation to someone who has never been properly thanked) activities. Participants expressed preferences for simple, brief activities that could be easily embedded into a daily routine. However, it was clear that support from managers, researchers or friends and family would be needed to promote engagement with the activities. Most notably, participants expressed a preference for flexibility in terms of how, when and where they write.
英国的医护人员报告称职业倦怠程度高且幸福感不佳，迫切需要采取干预措施来解决这一问题。表达性写作，即个人写下充满情感的想法或经历，是一种减轻压力和提升幸福感的有效干预措施，也是与医护人员一起使用的潜在选择。然而，在该领域未来试验的设计中考虑医护人员的偏好，以及考虑参与表达性写作活动的感知障碍和促进因素至关重要。因此，本研究旨在征求医护人员对提升幸福感的表达性写作活动的看法。我们向11名英国的健康和社会护理专业人员介绍了当前关于表达性写作活动潜在幸福感益处的研究，并进行了一对一的半结构化访谈，以确定他们的偏好、参与常规表达性写作的感知促进因素和障碍。使用演绎性、反思性主题分析法对数据进行了分析，编码框架以能力-机会-动机-行为（COM-B）模型为依据。从未来试验设计的角度来看，主要发现是参与者更喜欢“三件好事”（写下当天发生的三件好事）、书面获益发现（写下与不利经历相关的积极情绪、想法、感受和生活变化）和感恩信（给从未得到过恰当感谢的人写一封感谢信）活动。参与者表示更喜欢简单、简短且能轻松融入日常生活的活动。然而，显然需要管理者、研究人员或朋友及家人的支持来促进参与这些活动。最值得注意的是，参与者表示在写作方式、时间和地点方面希望有灵活性。
