Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39487490›Full record

Trial reportBMC medical education2024

Can positive emotional writing improve the emotional health level of international medical students? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial.

Qiaoling Xiao, Yang Cao, Shuo Wu, Yu Zou, Xi Hu

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC medical education, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Qiaoling XiaoInternational School, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430065, China. christina.xiao@wust.edu.cn.
Yang CaoHubei Health Industry Development Research Center, School of Health Humanities, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065, China. psycaoyang@163.com.
Shuo WuSchool of Medicine, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430065, China.
Yu ZouSchool of Medicine, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430065, China.
Xi HuInternational School, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430065, China.

Funding

Humanities and Social Sciences Fund, Ministry of Education of China 24YJCZH010Provincial Teaching and Research Foundation of Hubei province, China 2022219Scientific Research Project of Education Department of Hubei Province Q20232007
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDepression and anxiety are common psychological issues among international medical students in universities, which have serious negative impacts on their learning and life. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of positive emotional writing in alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as enhancing subjective well-being among this population.

methodThis study was conducted at an international college of a comprehensive university in central China. A total of ninety-two participants who met the inclusion criteria were recruited to participate in a single-blind randomized controlled trial, in which participants were not aware that there was an experimental group and a control group. Participants in control received daily psychological care weekly for 8 weeks (n = 46). Correspondingly, participants in experimental group received the positive emotional writing intervention on the basis of daily psychological care. Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and General Well-being Scale (GWB) were used to evaluate the effect of the intervention. Data from 89 students who completed the entire study (experimental group, n = 44; control group, n = 45) were analyzed.

resultsAfter the intervention, the scores of SDS and SAS in the experimental group significantly decreased, while the subjective well-being score significantly increased. Although the SAS score of the control group after intervention was significantly lower than before, the decrease in SDS and SAS scores, as well as the increase in GWB score, were significantly greater in the experimental group than in the control group.

conclusionThe findings suggest that positive emotional writing can effectively reduce the depression and anxiety of international medical students, and significantly enhance their subjective well-being, providing ideas for management to solve the psychological problems of international medical students. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2400087815. Registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry.

Indexed as

AnxietyDepressionEmotionsStudents, MedicalWritingAdultChinaFemaleHumansMaleMental HealthSingle-Blind MethodYoung AdultAnxietyDepressionInternational medical studentsPositive emotional writingWell-being

Identifiers

PMID39487490
PMCPMC11529312

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.