Effect of narrative writing on stress intensity of attendants’ patients hospitalized in intensive care units: A clinical trial study

Abstract

Background and Objective: Writing about emotions and emotional disturbances, improve the performance of an autonomous system, immune system and physical and mental health. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of narrative writing on stress intensity of attendants’ patients hospitalized in intensive care units (ICUs). Methods: This single blind clinical study was done on 106 attendants’ of adult patients hospitalized in ICUs of Babol city in northern Iran. The patientschr('39') attendants were divided into two groups of 53 controls and intervention. Data were collected using stress (DASS21) questionnaire. Intervention was writing narration about feelings, thoughts and experiences related to the hospitalized patient and ICU in a notebook as daily for seven days in the intervention group. Results: The mean and standard deviation of overall stress intensity following intervention were significantly reduced in the intervention group in comparison with controls (P<0.05) (22.64±7.89 versus 17.15± 8.2). There was significant relationship between intervention and control groups in three areas of stress, anxiety and depression (P<0.05). Conclusion: Narrative writing reduces the severity of stress in attendants’ patients in ICUs.

Keywords

• intensive care units
• patient's attendant
• narrative writing
• stress
• anxiety
• depression