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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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The effects of integrative reminiscence on meaning in life
— results of a quasi-experimental study | | Author(s) | E T Bohlmeijer, G J Westerhof, M Emmerik-de Jong |
| Journal title | Aging & Mental Health, vol 12, no 5, September 2008 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis, September 2008 |
| Pages | pp 639-646 |
| Source | http://www.tandfonline.com |
| Keywords | Memory and Reminiscence ; Depression ; Stress ; Life satisfaction ; Evaluation ; Netherlands. |
| Annotation | Finding meaning in life is often cited as an important outcome of reminiscence, but hitherto, this theoretical claim has not been empirically tested. Guided Autobiography, a new intervention combining integrative reminiscence and elements of narrative therapy was developed, and the effects on meaning in life were studied. 106 older people with depressive symptomatology participated in a quasi-experimental study with two parallel conditions: integrative reminiscence vs a waiting list control group. Measurements were taken before and after the intervention. A significant improvement in the overall meaning of life for participants of the intervention was found, but these effects were not significant when compared with the waiting list control group. There is a specific effect of the intervention in that it results in a decline of negative evaluation of the self by the participants and an increase in positive evaluation of social relations. The intervention also results in more positive evaluation of the past as well as less negative evaluation of the future. These findings are somewhat stronger for women than for men. Integrative reminiscence within a a narrative therapeutic framework may be an effective intervention for enhancing meaning in life with depressed older people. The intervention has to be developed further and should then be studied in a randomised controlled trial with a larger sample and with follow-up measurements. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-081124241 A |
| Classmark | DB: ENR: QNH: F:5HH: 4C: 76H |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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