In this study, researchers explored the use of language as a tool to manage emotions in distressing situations. By talking less about ourselves and the present moment, we can create linguistic distance and gain better control over our emotions.
The researchers took this basic research a step further and discovered that "linguistic distancing" is a replicable measure of mental health in a large set of therapy transcripts (N = 6,229). Furthermore, through clustering techniques, they found that language alone could identify participants who differed in symptom severity and treatment outcomes. These findings have important implications for developing tools that can identify individuals in need of psychological services based on language alone and for implementing linguistic interventions to improve mental health.
These results highlight the potential of language as a powerful tool for managing emotions and improving mental health outcomes. By identifying linguistic markers of mental health, the researchers have laid the foundation for the development of tools that can accurately identify individuals who are in need of psychological services. Additionally, the findings suggest that linguistic interventions can be used to help individuals gain better control over their emotions and improve their overall well-being.
Read the research: Linguistic measures of psychological distance track symptom levels and treatment outcomes in a large set of psychotherapy transcripts
