Emotional Disclosure Thesis

Disentangling the Effect of Depression Symptoms and Adult Attachment on Emotional Disclosure Crystal Taylor Suny Jefferson Community College

Literature Review
Emotional disclosure has important psychological and physical health benefits(Frattaroli, 2006), while non disclosure have been linked to negative outcomes in these areas (Kelly & Yip, 2006; Larson & Christain, 1990). Disclosure also aids in emotional recovery from negative events because it promotes insights, fosters social support, and reduces negative emotions (Kennedy-Moore & Watson, 2001). Individuals who are experiencing depression symptoms use maladaptive affect regulation strategies. Therefore, they tend to engage in lower levels of generalized disclosure
Most participants reported being single (n = 76; 63%) or in a dating relationship (n = 42; 35%). This study utilized a daily diary methodology (Bolger, Davis, & Rafaeli, 2003). Participants first completed the following paper‐and‐pencil measures: Experiences in Close Relationships Scale (ECRS; Brennan, Clark, & Shaver, 1998) to measure attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety (“I don’t feel comfortable opening up to romantic partners,” “I turn to my partner for many things, including comfort and reassurance”) Distress Disclosure Index (DDI: Kahn & Hessling, 2001) to measure generalized disclosure tendencies (“If I have a bad day, the last thing I want to do is talk about it”) Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms (IDAS; Watson et al., 2007), to measure general depression symptoms (“I slept less than usual,” “I had little interest in my usual hobbies or activities”) Participants then completed the following measure online daily for the next 7 days: Daily Questionnaire (developed by the authors) to assess daily event intensity (“How intense was your emotional reaction to the unpleasant event right when it occurred?”) and daily emotional disclosure (“To what degree have you shared information about this unpleasant event with someone today [i.e., by talking with someone, texting someone, posting an online message, etc.]?”) in response to the most negative event of the
M., Kahn, J. H., Sauer, E. M., & Florczak, M. A. (2011, November 7). Disentangling the Effects of Depression Symptoms and Adult Attachment on Emotional Disclosure. Journal of Counseling Psychology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1037/a0026132 Bolger, N., Davis, A., & Rafaeli, E. (2003). Diary methods: Capturing life as it is lived. Annual Review of Psychology, 54, 579‐616. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.54.101601.145030 Brennan, K. A., Clark, C. L., & Shaver, P. R. (1998). Self‐report measurement of adult romantic attachment: An integrative overview. In J. A. Simpson & W. S. Rholes (Eds.), Attachment theory and close relationships (pp. 46‐76). New York: Guilford. Frattaroli, J. (2006). Experimental disclosure and its moderators: A meta‐analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 132, 823‐865. doi:10.1037/0033‐2909.132.6.823 Garrison, A.M., & Kahn, J. H. (2010). Intraindividual relations between the intensity and disclosure of daily emotional events: The moderating role of depressive symptoms. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 57, 187‐197. doi:10.1037/a0018386 Kahn, J. H. & Garrison, A. M. (2009). Emotional self‐disclosure and emotional avoidance: Relations with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 56, 573‐584. doi:10.1037/a0016574 Kelly, A. E., & Yip, J. J. (2006). Is keeping a secret or being a secretive person linked to psychological symptoms? Journal of Personality, 74, 1349‐1369. doi: