The Effect of Writing Therapy on Anxiety in Pregnant Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background: As one of the most enjoyable life experiences, pregnancy may be accompanied by many physiological and psychological changes that make women susceptible to developing mental disorders such as anxiety. Non-pharmacological methods such as writing therapy are among the ways to deal with anxiety. Objectives: The present study aimed to determine the effect of writing therapy on anxiety in women during pregnancy. Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 70 pregnant women with a gestational age between 28 - 31 weeks. The participants were assigned to an intervention group and a control group using a randomized block design. The intervention group received three in-person writing therapy-based counseling sessions and two telephone calls between the sessions, while the control group received routine pregnancy care. The Beck anxiety inventory was completed before and six weeks after the intervention. Independent t-test and ANCOVA were used for data analysis. Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of socio-demographic variables and baseline anxiety scores. Based on ANCOVA with baseline score adjustment, the mean score of anxiety was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group after the intervention (adjusted mean difference = -6.8; 95%CI = -4.5 to -9.1; P < 0.001). Conclusions: According to the results, writing therapy can reduce anxiety in pregnant women; however, further studies are needed before a definitive conclusion.