The effects of an expressive writing intervention on pregnancy rates, alexithymia and psychophysical health during an assisted reproductive treatment

ABSTRACT Objective: World Health Organization reported that in developed countries one in four couples experience infertility with serious implications for the psychophysical well-being. Aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Pennebaker’s writing technique on pregnancy rates, alexithymia and psychophysical health during an assisted reproductive treatment (ART). Method: 91 women admitted for an ART were randomly divided into two groups: an experimental one (n¼46), where women wrote about their thoughts and emotions concerning the infertility experience, and a control group (n¼45) where women did not write. All subjects completed a socio-demographic questionnaire, the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale and the Symptoms Checklist-90-R before and after the writing sessions. Results: A significant difference in pregnancy rates between the experimental group (n¼13) and the control group (n¼5) was found (v2 ¼ 4.216; p < .04). A significant difference was also found between women who participated in the study (experimentalþcontrol¼ 91) and women who declined to participate, in the direction of more ART successes (n¼18 vs. n¼0) in the group of women who participated (v2 ¼ 10.17; p < .01). Conclusions: The findings support the usefulness of the writing technique during ART in promoting treatment success.