Brief reminiscence intervention improves affect and pessimism in non‐clinical individuals: A pilot study

Abstract

Whereas reminiscence‐based interventions that focus on reducing depression and pessimism have been shown to be effective, most studies have employed longer term treatments. There has also been a tendency for reminiscence‐based studies to focus on the benefits of reminiscence for older adults, with few studies involving younger adults. This study examined the efficacy of a one‐session reminiscence‐based intervention for reducing depressed affect and pessimism in younger adults. A total of 26 non‐clinical participants were administered a one‐to‐one guided interview in which they were encouraged to recall past problem‐solving successes, and the lessons learnt from these successes. Measures of affect, pessimism, and mastery were administered pre‐ and post‐interview. Levels of depressed affect, mastery, and pessimism significantly improved following the interview, compared with baseline levels. Changes in mastery were associated with changes in pessimism, but not with changes in depressed affect. This study suggests that a one‐session reminiscence‐based intervention may significantly contribute to the improvements in depressed affect, pessimism, and mastery in a younger cohort. It also suggests that the improvement in pessimism may be accounted for by improvement in self‐mastery.

Remembering for resilience: Brief cognitive‐reminiscence therapy improves psychological resources and mental well‐being in young adults

“…However, Hallford and Mellor (2013) have argued that young adults also have the developmental task of interpreting and evaluating their lives as coherent and meaningful and equally stand to benefit from reminiscence‐based approaches in achieving this. This is backed by evidence that young adults draw on autobiographical memory more frequently than older adults for the purposes of identity continuity and problem‐solving (Webster, 1993; Webster & McCall, 1999) that these adaptive uses of reminiscence predict decreases in depressive symptoms in young adults (Hallford et al, 2013; Hallford & Mellor, 2016a, 2016b, 2016c) and young adults report positive effects on self‐concept, affect and psychological resources such as self‐efficacy and meaning in life following brief reminiscence activities (Hallford & Mellor, 2016b; James & Bhar, 2016).…”

Remembering for Resilience: Brief Cognitive-Reminiscence Therapy Improves Psychological Resources and Mental Well-Being in Young Adults

“…This has been driven by the notion that perceiving one's life as having been coherent and meaningful is predominantly a psychosocial development task of older adulthood (Butler, 1963;Erikson, 1959).However, have argued that young adults also have the developmental task of interpreting and evaluating their lives as coherent and meaningful, and equally stand to benefit from reminiscence-based approaches in achieving this. This is backed by evidence that young adults draw on autobiographical memory more frequently than older adults for the purposes of identity continuity and problem-solving (Webster, 1993;Webster & McCall, 1999) that these REMINISCENCE THERAPY 4 adaptive uses of reminiscence predict decreases in depressive symptoms in young adults Hallford & Mellor, 2016) and young adults report positive effects on self-concept, affect, and psychological resources such as self-efficacy and meaning in life following brief reminiscence activities (Hallford & Mellor, 2016b;James & Bhar, 2016).…”