Nearly sixty percent of Americans live with at least one chronic health condition, and many experience elevated anxiety or mood-related mental health distress as a result.

Researchers at Penn State University, led by Joshua M Smyth, PhD, explored whether a simple habit—writing—could help.

The team conducted a twelve-week randomized controlled trial with seventy adults who had both medical conditions and anxiety symptoms.

Participants were asked to complete Positive Affect Journaling (PAJ) online for fifteen to twenty minutes, three to five days a week.

Unlike traditional expressive writing, which often focuses on trauma or negative emotions, PAJ encouraged participants to reflect on positive experiences, values, and sources of gratitude.

Within the first month, participants reported significant reductions in anxiety and mental health distress, as well as improvements in overall well being.

Many described feeling “somewhat” or “much better” on follow-up surveys.

Although some benefits plateaued over time, the results suggested that even brief, structured reflection on positive experiences can meaningfully shift emotional outlook.

Dr. Smyth notes that journaling offers a low-cost, easily accessible tool for individuals seeking to support mental health alongside other treatments.

The study’s authors propose that PAJ may be especially useful for people managing ongoing health challenges or life stressors—offering a sense of perspective and emotional relief through regular practice.

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Adapted from: Smyth JM, et al. “Online positive affect journaling in the improvement of mental distress and well-being in general medical patients with elevated anxiety symptoms: a preliminary randomized controlled trial,” JMIR Ment Health. 2018;5(4):e11290. doi:10.2196/11290