Dalam buku ini “The Writing Cure: How Expressive Writing Promotes Health and Emotional Well-Being” oleh Stephen J. Lepore dan Joshua M. Smyth, penulis menjelaskan bahwa expressive writing, termasuk journaling, dapat memberikan efek positif pada kesehatan mental. Mereka menulis:

“Expressive writing about traumatic, stressful, or emotional events has been found to result in improvements in both physical and psychological health… Writing helps individuals to process complex emotions and can lead to a better understanding of their experiences, which ultimately contributes to emotional well-being.” (Lepore & Smyth, 2002).

Dalam sebuah studi yang dipublikasikan dalam jurnal yang  berjudul “Emotional and Physical Health Benefits of Expressive Writing”, membuktikan bahwa journaling memiliki manfaat yang signifikan terhadap kesehatan emosional dan fisik, termasuk meningkatkan suasana hati dan mengurangi gejala fisik yang terkait dengan stres.

“Expressive writing has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, improve mood, and even result in better physical health outcomes, such as reduced blood pressure and improved immune function.” (Pennebaker, 1997).