Crying as a multifaceted health psychology conceptualisation - crying as coping, risk factor, and symptom

Oct 28, 2026

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Article reviews popular and pre-scientific views linking crying with well-being and health, then synthesizes scientific literature using a three-part framework: crying as coping, (non)crying as a risk factor for disease, and crying as a sign of distress and a symptom of disease. Evidence is evaluated for immediate relief and emotional recovery after stressors, for associations between crying or chronic inhibition and later health risks, and for neurological and psychiatric correlates. Findings include contrasting results where study design varies, limited rigorous studies for several claims, and a need for more systematic research.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Crying as coping: immediate effects

Crying as risk factor: long-term effects and inhibition

Crying as sign/symptom of distress and disease

original article Crying as a multifaceted health psychology conceptualisation: crying as coping, risk factor, and symptom Ad Vingerhoets1* and Lauren Bylsma2 1 Department of Psychology and Health, Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands 2 Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, USA Abstract We summarize popular and pre-scientific conceptions of the relationship between crying, well-being, and health, and we review the scientific literature on this topic. It appears that crying can be conceived in three distinct ways: (1) crying as coping; (2) (non)crying as a risk factor for the development of disease; and (3) crying as a sign of distress and a symptom of disease. First, the focus is on whether crying brings relief and facilitates emotional recovery after stressor exposure. Next, we discuss the evidence addressing whether crying or its chronic inhibition is associated with increased risk of developing health problems. Finally, we address crying asa sign or symptom of distress, pain or disease. It is concluded that the question regarding whether crying serves a coping function and brings relief has yielded seemingly contrasting findings, dependent on the design of the study. Concerning the second and third issues, thereis a lack of sound studies. We present evidence for a relationship between neurological disorders and crying. The relationship between crying and psychiatric disorders such as depression is less clear. There is also mainly anecdotal evidence of increased crying in a wide variety of health problems, which may reflect symptoms of disease, co-morbid depression, adjustment problems, or side effects of treatment. Furthermore, some recent studies suggest a positive effect of crying on health status in certain patient groups. More systematic and welldesigned studies are needed to clarify the relationship between crying and health. Introduction Crying is a universal and uniquely human way of expressing emotions. It permeates our lives from the very beginning (e.g., “the primal scream”) until the end, when we die. Important emotional events are typically associated with the shedding of tears, but since such major events are rare, most crying actually occurs by rather common everyday experiences. This suggests that not only the specific causal event is relevant, but other contextual factors and person characteristics also play a significant role in crying behaviour. *Corresponding Author: Ad Vingerhoets; [email: Vingerhoets@uvt.nl](email: Vingerhoets@uvt.nl) Ad Vingerhoets Professor of Clinical Health Psychology Tilburg University Lauren Bylsma Clinical psychology doctoral student University of South Florida The capacity to shed emotional tears has surprisingly received little serious attention from the scientific community, and the little research that has been done has employed very different theoretical viewpoints with a lack of connection between the studies. This may explain why we know rather little about this intriguing phenomenon, and many obvious questions concerning antecedents, moderators and consequences of crying cannot yet be answered adequately. In this contribution, the focus will be on the relationship between crying and health. For health psychologists, crying can be conceived of in at least (Continued on page 69) three distinct ways. First, crying may be considered a coping behaviour. In addition, as a logical consequence, crying or the chronic inhibition of tears may be perceived as a risk factor for the development of specific disorders. Finally, crying may be regarded as a sign of distress or pain or a symptom of disease. It is important to distinguish between the immediate effects of crying (versus suppression of a single crying episode) and the long-term effects of regular crying (versus chronic inhibition of tears) . First, there is the claim that crying has immediate positive effects upon our mental and physical well-being, and therefore b

FAQs

How does the article conceptualize crying in relation to health?

It presents three distinct perspectives: crying as coping, (non)crying as a risk factor for disease development, and crying as a sign of distress and a symptom of disease.

What evidence does the article review regarding crying and immediate relief?

It discusses claims that crying produces immediate positive effects and emotional relief after stressor exposure, while noting that findings vary and depend on study design.

What gaps and uncertainties remain in the scientific evidence?

The article reports a lack of sound studies for some questions and highlights that the relationship between crying and psychiatric disorders is less clear, with much evidence being anecdotal rather than systematic.

Oct 28, 2026

Upload by Asher