How writing impacts our emotions and thoughts

INTERVENTION: There are four writing interventions: expressive writing, guided narrative writing, self‐compassionate writing and lifestyle writing (active control group). The writing intervention includes three writing sessions over 3 consecutive days for 20 minutes per session. First the researchers will assess the eligibility of participants. Then they will randomly assign them into four intervention groups using random numbers and they will receive the pre‐intervention assessment. After participants finish the online survey, participants will receive an email to invite them to join the writing intervention. During each writing intervention session, participants will be requested to respond to several questions related to the current mood and then they will be asked to follow an instruction to finish the writing session. After the writing, the researchers will repeat the mood questions again. Ideally, it is hoped that participants can finish this intervention over 3 consecutive days. However, the researchers understand that it may be hard to commit to writing every single day. It is fine if participants forget 1 day of writing, they can pick up writing anytime within 2 weeks from the day they finish the pre‐assessment survey. However, no matter if they finish this 3‐day writing intervention completely, after 2 weeks from their pre‐assessment survey day, the researchers will email them to invite them to answer the online survey again (similar to the online pre‐assessment survey). Besides, the researchers will follow up them for 3 months and specifically the online survey will be sent 1 and 3 months after the first writing day. Thus, for the entire study, they will be requested to answer four online surveys (i.e., pre‐writing session, post writing s CONDITION: Daily stress in adults with mild/moderate depressive symptoms and/or anxiety symptoms ; Mental and Behavioural Disorders PRIMARY OUTCOME: ; 1. Depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms measured using the hospital anxiety and depression scale at pre‐assessment, post‐assessment, 1‐month follow‐up and 3‐month follow‐up; 2. Stress measured using the perceived stress scale at pre‐assessment, post‐assessment, 1‐month follow‐up and 3‐month follow‐up; 3. PTSD symptoms measured using the PDS‐5 trauma test, peri‐traumatic emotions questionnaire, and post‐trauma growth at pre‐assessment, post‐assessment, 1‐month follow‐up and 3‐month follow‐up; 4. Self‐compassion measured using the self‐compassion scale (short form) at pre‐assessment, post‐assessment, 1‐month follow‐up and 3‐month follow‐up; 5. Mood measured using three basic dimensions of mood at each pre‐/post‐ writing session; 6. Self‐compassion and state of connectedness with others measured using the visual analogue scale (VAS) at each pre‐/post‐ writing session; 7. Distress measured using subject units of distress scale at each pre‐/post‐ writing session; 8. Psychological processes in the writing (cognitive processes, positive emotion, negative emotion, and social processes) measured using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) during writing sessions; 9. Emotion regulation measured using the rumination reflection scale, short‐form cognitive emotion regulation scale and difficulties in emotion regulation scale at pre‐assessment, post‐assessment, 1‐month follow‐up and 3‐month follow‐up; SECONDARY OUTCOME: ; 1. Adverse childhood experiences measured using adverse childhood experience questionnaires at pre‐assessment, post‐assessment, 1‐month follow‐up and 3‐month follow‐up; 2. Sleeping problems measured using the insomnia severity index at pre‐assessment, post‐assessment, 1‐month follow‐up and 3‐month follow‐up; 3. Psychological wellbeing measured using the satisfaction with life scale and subjective happiness scale at pre‐assessment, post‐assessment, 1‐month follow‐up and 3‐month follow‐up; 4. Loneliness is measured using the UCLA loneliness scale at pre‐assessment, post‐assessment, 1‐month follow‐up and 3‐month follow‐up; 5. The impact of mental health problems measured using the work and social adjustment scale at pre‐assessment, post‐assessment, 1‐month follow‐up and 3‐month follow‐up; 6. Social support measured using the multidimensional scale of perceived social support scale at pre‐assessment, post‐assessment, 1‐month follow‐up and 3‐month follow‐up; 7. Gratitude measured using the gratitude questionnaire at pre‐assessment, post‐assessment, 1‐month follow‐up and 3‐month follow‐up; 8. Self‐efficacy is measured using the general self‐efficacy scale at pre‐assessment, post‐assessment, 1‐month follow‐up and 3‐month follow‐up; 9. Meaning of life is measured using the meaning in life questionnaire at pre‐assessment, post‐assessment, 1‐month follow‐up and 3‐month follow‐up; 10. Resilience is measured using the brief resilience scale at pre‐assessment, post‐assessment, 1‐month follow‐up and 3‐month follow‐up; INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Native English speakers 2. Aged 18 years and above 3. Currently living in the UK 4. They are currently experiencing mild/moderate levels of distress (HADS score between 8‐14) 5. Can read and write using a computer or laptop