Correlates of reminiscence activity among elderly individuals

The purpose of this study was to examine several psychological characteristics and life experiences that may be related to aspects of reminiscence activity among elderly individuals. Seventy elderly individuals completed a reminiscence questionnaire assessing 1) the extent to which reminiscence is motivated by a desire to enhance self understanding, 2) reminiscence affect, and 3) the preferred social modality of reminiscence. The respondents also completed questionnaires assessing existential vacuum, extraversion, and the recent experience of various life events. Existential vacuum was positively associated with a tendency to engage in reminiscence in an effort to enhance self understanding as well as a negative bias in reminiscence affect. Extra-version was found to be positively related to a preference for interpersonal reminiscence. Specific life experiences (e.g., death of a spouse, retirement) were also related to reminiscence activity. The present results provide support for the notion that aspects of reminiscence activity are associated with individual differences in specific psychological and situational variables.