Coherence of Personal Narratives across the Lifespan: A Multidimensional Model and Coding Method

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Personal narratives are fundamental to autobiographical memory and identity formation.
• Coherent personal narratives are associated with positive developmental outcomes throughout life.
• Existing models do not fully capture the lifespan trajectory of narrative coherence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a new lifespan model of personal narrative coherence.
• To integrate context, chronology, and theme as key dimensions of narrative coherence.
• To present a multidimensional coding scheme (NaCCS) for assessing narrative coherence.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of theoretical and empirical research on personal narrative coherence.
• Development of the Narrative Coherence Coding Scheme (NaCCS) based on the new model.
• Application of NaCCS to 498 personal narratives from participants aged 3 to adulthood.

Main Results:

• The new model integrates context, chronology, and theme as essential dimensions of personal narrative coherence.
• Each dimension exhibits distinct developmental achievements and trajectories across the lifespan.
• The NaCCS is a valid and applicable tool for measuring narrative coherence across age groups.

Conclusions:

• The proposed lifespan model provides a comprehensive framework for understanding personal narrative coherence.
• The NaCCS facilitates the multidimensional assessment of narrative coherence.
• This approach can guide future research on the development and psychological benefits of narrative coherence.