Self-Defining Memories and Well-Being in European American and Chinese Emerging Adults

This study examined self-defining memories (SDMs) in relation to well-being in European American and Chinese emerging adults. European American (N = 118) and Chinese participants (N = 122) each generated two SDMs; rated the emotionality, importance, and clarity of the memories; and completed well-being measures. Memory narratives were coded for meaning integration, affect, specificity, and content. Chinese participants made more references to others in their narratives than did European Americans, who recalled more specific events. European American participants reported both higher depression and higher flourishing than Chinese participants. Furthermore, while meaning integration, positive emotion words, memory clarity, and achievement content were related to psychological well-being in European Americans, positive emotion words and personal importance were related to well-being in Chinese. Regressions further showed that positive emotional intensity of SDMs was associated with greater positive affect states only among Chinese, whereas meaning integration was associated with reduced negative affect states only among European Americans. These original findings highlight the important role of autobiographical memory in well-being in specific cultural contexts.