How Does Insightful and Emotional Disclosure Bring Potential Health Benefits? Study Based on Online Support Groups for Women With Breast Cancer

摘要

Building upon 2 theoretical models (the cognitive adaptation model and the emotional exposure-habituation model), this research focused on 2 aspects of disclosure content-insights and emotions-and examined how women with breast cancer benefit from written disclosure in online support groups. Using survey data collected at baseline and after 4 months and messages posted in bulletin-board-type online groups in between, we analyzed how the content ofdisclosive messages predicted health outcomes. Disclosure of insights led to greater improvements in health self-efficacy, emotional well-being, and functional well-being, which was mediated by lowered breast cancer concerns. Disclosure of negative emotions had no main effects on health outcomes, but weakened the unfavorable association between concerns at baseline and functional well-being at follow-up.