Effect of expressive writing as a treatment adjunct for reducing smoking cessation related weight gain in young adult smokers

This investigation evaluated the effect of expressive writing on weight gain in young adults being treated for smoking cessation. This study was conducted between July 2001 and June 2005. Participants (N = 196) ages 18-24 years (M = 20.8, SD = 2.0 years), who were recruited from a large city in the southeastern United States were randomized to brief office intervention or expressive writing plus brief office intervention. The sample was 56% female, 93% Caucasian, smoked a mean of 18.1 cigarettes per day (SD = 6.1), and had a mean body mass index of 24.9 (SD = 5.6). Participants who received the expressive writing plus brief office intervention gained significantly less weight than those receiving the brief office interventions from week 3 to 24, but did not significantly differ at week 52. A limitation of this investigation relates to the fact that the impact of expressive writing on weight was an unanticipated treatment effect that was evaluated in post-hoc analyses. Although the findings suggest that expressive writing holds promise as a treatment adjunct to decrease weight gain associated with smoking cessation, further research is warranted.