Self-Event Connections in Life Stories, Self-Concept Clarity, and Dissociation: Examining Their Relations with Symptoms of Psychopathology

Abstract

Constructing a coherent life story through the formation of self-event connections may help maintain unity in the self. We examined how positive and negative self-event connections were related to symptoms of psychopathology when controlling for two other measures of self-unity: Self-concept clarity and dissociation. While most studies of life stories use content coding, we used a self-report method and hence provide a rationale for this method. One hundred five young adults identified life story chapters and rated them on self-event connections, including questions of positive/negative self-change and self-stability connections. They also completed scales measuring self-concept clarity, dissociation, and symptoms. Higher ratings of positive and lower ratings of negative self-event connections in life stories were related to fewer symptoms of psychopathology. Positive self-change was related to fewer symptoms when controlling for selfconcept clarity and dissociation. The results suggest that positive and negative self-event connections are differentially related to symptoms of psychopathology. In addition, the results indicate that self-report measures of life stories may be a useful supplement to coding of narratives.

Age differences in life stories and neuroticism mediate age differences in subjective well‐being

“…Finally, self-rating of life stories may be limited in assessing aspects of life stories that participants are not fully aware off. In addition, selfratings of life stories may not reflect deeper processing of events, but rather more superficial evaluations (Holm & Thomsen, 2018;McAdams, 2018;Panattoni & McLean, 2018). Hence, replicating the present findings using content coding of life stories is crucial.…”

“…For example, Thomsen and colleagues (Thomsen et al, 2016) found that lower self-report ratings of positive change connections were related to more symptoms of depression and higher trait-anxiety. Holm and Thomsen (2018) found that individuals who gave higher ratings of positive self-event connections and lower ratings of negative self-event connections, experienced fewer symptoms of psychopathology. Additionally, compared with healthy control participants, individuals with psychiatric illness rate their life stories lower on positive self-event connection (Lind, Jørgensen, Bøye, Heinskou, Simonsen, & Thomsen, 2018;Pedersen, Straarup, & Thomsen, 2018).…”

“…For example, we have found that the questions relate in predictable and theoretically meaningful ways to personality traits and self-esteem , selfesteem and self-concept clarity (Steiner, Thomsen, & Pillemer, 2017), SWB (Thomsen, Lind, & Pillemer, 2017), symptoms of psychopathology and self-concept clarity (Holm & Thomsen, 2018), and bipolar disorder (Pedersen, Straarup, & Thomsen, 2018).…”

“…Although content coding is the most commonly used method in life story research, recent discussions suggest that self-report methods may be a useful supplement (Holm & Thomsen, 2018;McAdams, 2018;Panattoni & McLean, 2018). The rationale behind self-report methods is that life stories are internalized accounts that participants can introspectively assess on consciously accessible qualities, such as positive selfchange (Holm & Thomsen, 2018;Panattoni & McLean, 2018). Self-report methods take seriously the subjective nature of life stories in letting participants themselves evaluate how they think and feel about their life stories, rather than using experts to content code the life stories.…”

Relationships among Personal Life Stories, Vicarious Life Stories about Mothers and Fathers, and Well-being

“…Life stories have typically been researched through content coding of themes, meaning, and coherence (e.g., Adler et al, 2016;Merrill & Fivush, 2016). Recently, however, studies have begun to use self-rating of life story characteristics, based on the assumption that self-report is a valid way to assess individuals' subjective reflections about their internal life stories (Holm & Thomsen, 2018). Here we took the opportunity to use both methods to examine relations between personal and vicarious life stories about parents and compare the results.…”