What types of reminiscence are associated with successful aging

To resolve the controversy regarding the adaptive benefits of reminiscence, the study was con-ducted to investigate what types of reminiscence are associated with successful aging. On the basis of prior research and content analysis, 6 types of reminiscence were identified: integrative, instru-mental, transmissive, narrative, escapist, and obsessive. Successful aging was operationally denned as higher than average ratings in mental and physical health and adjustment as determined by an interviewer and a panel of gerontological professionals. Reminiscence data were gathered from 88 men and women judged to be aging successfully and 83 men and women judged to be aging unsuccessfully. All subjects were between 65 and 95 years of age, with approximately half living in the community and half in institutions. As predicted, successful agers showed significantly more integrative and instrumental reminiscence but less obsessive reminiscence than their unsuccessful counterparts. Community dwellers also showed more instrumental and integrative reminiscence than institutionalized seniois showed. Thus, only certain types of reminiscence are beneficial. Reminiscence may be denned as personal memories of a distant past; it consists of long-term memories of events in which the reminiscer is either a participant or an observe