Prospective and retrospective account-making in diary entries: A model of anxiety reduction and avoidance

An account-making model of diary-keeping is proposed which suggests that diary use can function as a means of avoiding and reducing both stress and anxiety. Subjects with high scores on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Hassles and Uplifts Scale were selected for the study. An experimental and control group were formed, and stress, anxiety and hassles measured pre- and post-diary-keeping. Support was found for the model in that rated levels of stress, anxiety and hassles were reduced following the adoption of diary-keeping. Significant negative correlations were found between the number of diary entries a subject made and hassles scores. Overall, the study suggests that diary-keeping is beneficial for both avoiding stress and anxiety provoking experiences, and for coping with stress and anxiety resulting from past experiences.