Learning Experiences in Expressive Writing to Improve Psychological and Emotional Wellbeing

Learning Experiences in Expressive Writing to Improve Psychological and Emotional Wellbeing

Purpose: People must express their feelings and thoughts to maintain mental health and stability. Expressing one’s emotions, experiences, and thoughts in writing relieves inner feelings, promotes self-exploration, and improves individual well-being, resulting in a pleasant state on physical, mental, and social levels. This study aims to reveal the learning experiences of university students who participated in a self-expressive writing course to improve their well-being. Method: To explore the learning experiences of university students who took a self-expressive writing course, this study used qualitative research methods to analyze the students’ written reflection notes. Results: Self-expressive writing was found to resolve university students' negative emotions, regulate their emotions, improve their self-reflection and self-awareness, contributing to their problem-solving skills and ability to set new goals, and strengthen their social communication. The meaning of this class experience can be summarized as healing, awareness, reflection, change, and growth. Conclusion: The results of this study provide concrete data on expressive writing classes and are valuable when designing the writing programs.