It's good to talk: distress disclosure and psychological wellbeing. HRB research series 1

Author(s):

Donna Tedstone, Rosalyn Moran

Publication date:

2 October 2007

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Abstract:

This paper looks at the relationship between levels of distress disclosure and psychological well-being in the general population. The data used was from the Health Research Board's national psychological distress and well-being survey. Two measures of psychological well-being were used, the previously validated 12-item General Health Questionnaire and a self-reported rating of participants mental health in the previous twelve months. Distress disclosure was measured using a 12-Item Likert scale called the Distress Disclosure Index. As a personality trait distress disclosure has been shown to refer to an individual's willingness to disclose distressing personal information to others and previous studies have shown this to influence an individuals psychological well-being with a greater willingness to disclose distressing information being associated with positive mental health. A nationally representative sample of 2,711 adults aged 18 years and over living in private households in Ireland was surveyed and quantitative data analysis techniques using SPSS were employed throughout. Four socio-demographic determinants of levels of distress disclosure were explored. These were gender, age, marital status and geographic location. The association between distress disclosure and psychological well-being was then investigated. The Distress Disclosure Index was found to be a statistically valid, unidimensional measure. Statistically significant differences were found in levels of distress disclosure in terms of the four socio-demographic variables and correlations were found to exist between levels of distress disclosure and the two measures of psychological well-being which were employed. The findings illustrate the importance of encouraging individuals to discuss personally distressing information as this can have a positive affect on their psychological well-being.

Publisher:

Health Research Board

Place of publication:

Dublin

ISSN number:

20090242

HRB Series:

HRB Research Series

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