Reminiscence: a viable option to enhance power in elders

The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of reminiscent storytelling as a therapeutic modality to enhance the sense of power in well elders (ages 60-86). The study was conceptualized within Rogers' (1986) Science of Unitary Human Beings and focused on Barrett's theory of power. A pre- and posttest design with experimental and control groups was used with Barrett's Power as Knowing Participation in Change Test, Version II as the measure of power (personal control). Experimental group subjects were pretested and then participated in three reminiscence sessions during a 1-week period. Subjects were then posttested both at the end of the reminiscence sessions and again after a 5-week interval. Control group subjects were tested on a schedule identical to that of the experimental group, but participated in no reminiscence sessions. Although an overall significant difference (p = 0.003) in scores was found over the testing period, no differences were found between experimental and control groups. Both experimental (n = 34) and control (n = 41) groups demonstrated a small but insignificant decrease in power between the pretest and posttest 1. Both groups then experienced a significant increase in power between posttest 1 and posttest 2. It is recommended that research energies continue to be directed toward the investigation of this topic. In our contemporary high tech world which often allows minimal human contact and diminishing quality of life for the aged, novel modalities such as reminiscence offer a human to human exchange, which may hold the key to this modern-day challenge.