The International Journal of Reminiscence and Life Review
The International Journal of Reminiscence and Life Review (IJRLR) (ISSN 2372-1790) publishes original work exploring the nature, function, and application of remembering the personal past within a wide range of research contexts and practice settings.
The International Center for Life Story Innovations and Practice
Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory as Reminiscence
Highly superior autobiographical memory (HSAM) is observed in people who have the ability to recall memories for personal history for most or all the days of their adult lives. The events recalled are often organized around dates and can include events the person experienced personally or news events to which the person devoted attention. This paper summarizes research based on case studies and on comparisons of samples with and without HSAM. The paper outlines the defining features of both HSAM and reminiscence and provides a comparison of the two constructs. Overall, the paper concludes that, qualitatively, persons with HSAM have the same experience of reminiscence as persons without HSAM, but that, quantitatively, the number of autobiographical memories to which they have access is astonishingly greater, which carries both positive and negative possible consequences.
Special Section: Keeping Our Legacy Alive by Honoring the Past and Embracing the Future: Papers From the 2024 Meeting of the International Center for Life Story Innovations and Practice | Guest Editor: Theresa C. Chrisman, Ph.D.
The Reminiscence Bump Effect in Autobiographies
The reminiscence bump effect refers to the tendency for older adults to recall more life events from their teens, twenties, and early thirties than from other decades of life. Participants in laboratory studies are often encouraged to recall events quickly and spontaneously, with the intention of eliciting those life events that come most easily to mind. The purpose of this study was to determine if a reminiscence bump is observed in accounts of life events that are carefully organized and narrated over prolonged periods of time; specifically, those presented in published autobiographies. 1742 life events were collected from the published autobiographies of 20 authors. Six authors were female and 14 were male. The mean age of authors at the time of publication was 70.95 (SD = 12.50). 39.21% of life events reported in autobiographies occurred when authors were between 18 and 32 years of age, a value significantly higher than expected by chance [Chi-square (1, N = 1942) = 713.31, p < .001] and consistent with those found in laboratory studies supporting the reminiscence bump effect. In addition, the 15-year reminiscence bump period represented an average of 21.43% of the authors’ lives at the time they published their autobiographies; however, events from the reminiscence bump period took up an average of 36.89% of the pages in these autobiographies. These data provide evidence for a reminiscence bump effect in carefully considered life story narratives which required months or years to complete.
Copyright (c) 2025 Hannah Benz, Thomas W. Pierce, Grace Flood
Bringing Stories to Mental Health Care: A Dialogue Between Research and Practice
A narrative psychological approach contributes to a person-centered perspective in mental health care that goes beyond mental illness. This article describes a dialogue between research and practice. In several sections, we describe the steps that were taken in the development of “An Empowering Story”, a narrative intervention focusing on personal recovery in persons with personality disorder: our joint starting point involving different kinds of expertise, a needs assessment from different perspectives, a prototype development bringing the expertise together, a design process involving clients and practitioners, a feasibility study, an effectiveness study, a national implementation plan, and final steps toward using the intervention in new contexts. The article ends with a reflection on the dialogue between science and practice. We argue that the process was transdisciplinary, emphasizing joint responsibility and mutual learning rather than the simple application of science to practice.
Copyright (c) 2025 Gerben J. Westerhof, Renée Rosenboom, Silvia Pol
Guided Autobiography Experiences in Senior Gerontology Bachelor Students in Türkiye
During a professional practice course, the author conducted a Guided Autobiography (GAB) workshop with 31 senior bachelor’s degree students in gerontology at Muş Alparslan University in Türkiye. Due to time limitations the themes were reduced to a four-session workshop. In addition to the introductory session, the themes Branching Points, History of Family, Death and Ideas About Death, and Aims and Meaning of Life themes were selected for subsequent sessions. At the conclusion of each session students' opinions regarding GAB were collected through focus groups. The GAB process affected students’ perspectives on themselves and their classmates. They also believe that GAB may help gerontologists and other professionals in the aging field avoid misunderstandings and communication problems by revealing unknown stories behind a person.
This article explores how spoken narrative, one person talking to another about his or her life, can help the speaker gain emotional healing. Based on the author’s facilitation of 30 Structured Life Reviews over the past five years, it also describes how the out-loud processing of adversity leads to increased well-being and the adoption of prosocial values. One life review case study is presented in suggesting how the essence of spoken narrative can benefit society at large.
Ask Like an Anthropologist: Questions That Reveal Surprising Details and Stories About Childhood and Teenage Years
This article describes a unique approach to collecting reminiscences and stories from older family members, particularly about their early life. What makes the approach unique is that it is an anthropological approach, that is, interviews with older family members focus on topics an anthropologist would be interested in when studying another culture. An anthropologist focuses on topics such as experiences of space and time, how social interaction was conducted, socialization practices, valued items of material culture, beliefs, fears, rites of passage, identity, body adornment, and kinship and marriage. Although it might seem counterintuitive to approach a family member as a person of another culture, doing so leads to discovering details and anecdotes that people thought they had forgotten and that many in the family have never heard. Such an approach recognizes the enormous cultural changes that have taken place over even one generation. It also recognizes the importance of understanding another person’s unique points of view.
Reminiscence and Resilience in the Voices of Older LGBTQ+ Drag Performers
This qualitative study explores the life stories of 21 LGBTQ+ drag performers in the United States aged 50 and older. Through semi-structured interviews grounded in life story methodology and supported by timeline mapping, the study investigates how participants make meaning of drag performance, gender identity, and chosen kinship over time. Drawing on grounded theory, timeline mapping, and feminist and queer theoretical frameworks, the research uncovers themes of resilience, performative identity, familial acceptance and rejection, and intergenerational transmission of values. Participants described drag as a powerful site of self-affirmation and protective expression, often referred to as “armor.” Their narratives also revealed shifting relationships with gender performance and identity integration across the lifespan. The findings shed light on how drag performers navigate aging within a youth-focused culture while continuing to make significant contributions to LGBTQ+ history, activism, and community care. The study contributes to gerontological and queer scholarship by centering the voices of older LGBTQ+ drag performers and suggesting new directions for intergenerational and intersectional research.
Copyright (c) 2025 Brian G. Chapman, Laura K. M. Donorfio, Nels P. Highberg, Emma Chamberlin
The Legacy Project: Presentation of IIRLR and ICLIP Milestones
On the 30th anniversary of the International Center for Life Story Innovations and Practice (ICLIP), this paper shares the historical events of the organization. Milestones and major accomplishments are highlighted from the early organization of the first conference in 1995 under the direction of the late John Kunz at the University of Wisconsin-Superior to the guidance of Juliette Shellman, Director of ICLIP at the University of Connecticut in 2025. Among the milestones of achievements are included the biennial conferences, the International Journal of Reminiscence and Life Review, the Certificate Program in Reminiscence and Life Review, the honorary award recipients, past presidents, and the online website marking these historical events. The organization’s longevity is attributed to the dedication, adaptability, and resilience of ICLIP’s leadership and members. The future is promising as the organization enters its 4th decade with initiatives for research, education, and practice.
Voices of Legacy: Contemporary Innovators Who Shape Life Story Work
The field of life review, reminiscence, and life story work has expanded greatly since Robert Butler coined the term life review in the 1960s. Its growth reflects decades of dedication by researchers and practitioners exploring the power of personal narrative. This article highlights nine leaders whose vision and commitment have advanced the theory, practice, and spirit of life story work. Building on the legacies of Dr. Robert Butler and Dr. James Birren, founder of Guided Autobiography (GAB), these innovators have broadened access to methods that help people find meaning through story. Drawing on in-depth interviews, the article explores how the field has evolved, why it endures, and what guides its future. Across diverse perspectives, shared themes emerge—curiosity, connection, creativity, and care. As the field enters a generational transition, these voices remind us that preserving its future depends on more than methods or research; it requires honoring the lived stories and wisdom of those who built its foundation.
Copyright (c) 2025 Cheryl Svensson, Sarah White
The Reminiscence Journey: A Novel Integrated Approach Combining Reminiscence Therapy With Memory Jars for Cognitive Training in Older Adults
Cognitive decline and psychosocial challenges in aging populations necessitate innovative interventions that address both cognitive function and emotional well-being. While traditional reminiscence therapy has shown promise, integrating multisensory elements may enhance its effectiveness. This paper introduces the "Reminiscence Journey" model, a novel cognitive training approach that combines traditional reminiscence therapy with tangible memory jars to create a multisensory intervention for older adults. The proposed model integrates verbal reminiscence with physical memory artifacts housed in personalized jars through a three-phase intervention consisting of theme setting and introduction, reminiscence and artifact creation, and sharing and reflection, during which participants create tangible representations of memories using various sensory materials. The theoretical framework suggests potential benefits across multiple domains including cognitive function maintenance, emotional stability, enhanced self-awareness, improved social communication, and overall quality of life enhancement, with the model incorporating both individual and group elements that allow for personalized yet socially engaging experiences. The Reminiscence Journey model represents a promising advancement in cognitive training for older adults by combining evidence-based reminiscence therapy with multisensory memory preservation techniques, though future empirical research is needed to validate its effectiveness across diverse populations and settings.
Copyright (c) 2025 Hiroko Oe, Kai Weeks, Emi Morishita
Introduction to the Special Section: Keeping our Legacy Alive by Honoring the Past and Embracing the Future
Why Life Story Books Should Be Part of Every Nursing Home Admission
Moving into a nursing home is a major life transition that often leads to increased emotional stress, loss of identity, and increased mortality risk. Life Story Books (LSBs) provide a person-centered approach that help residents maintain identity, foster social connections, and support emotional and cognitive well-being. This paper reviews the process of creating LSBs and highlights their multiple benefits. LSBs enhance resident well-being by promoting reminiscence, increasing self-esteem, and reducing depressive symptoms. They provide cognitive stimulation and emotional engagement, help preserve memory function, and strengthen communication between residents, staff, and families. LSBs also improve continuity of care by offering staff deeper insights into each resident’s history and preferences, enabling more personalized and compassionate caregiving. Furthermore, they encourage family involvement and align with therapeutic practices such as reminiscence and life review, which have been shown to improve mood and quality of life in older adults. Incorporating LSBs into the nursing home admission process offers a simple yet powerful way to promote dignity, connection, and meaningful engagement, ultimately enhancing quality of care and quality of life for residents with and without dementia.
Life Review in Midlife: An Integrative Review
Life review was developed to assist older adults to think back over their lives in a therapeutic way to improve their mental health, wellbeing, and quality of life. However, an important part of midlife is to review one’s past to prepare for one’s future. A life review in midlife might assist with this. The aims of this integrative review were to identify 1) the extent to which life review and life review therapy in midlife adults have been researched, and 2) the benefits and limitations of these interventions for midlife adults. The following databases were searched: CINAHL, Medline, PsychInfo, Embase, Scopus, Google Scholar and Trove. Forty-four articles were included in the results, and three themes were developed. Theme 1, End of Life in Midlife was a topic explored in 23 papers. Theme 2, Mental Illness and Substance Abuse, was identified in 20 papers: nine addressed mental illness, one described the application of life review to substance abuse, and 10 overlapped with Theme 1 on mental illness and end-of-life. Theme 3, Personal Growth was the primary topic of 11 papers. Life review can assist with reducing anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses. Results from these studies showed how life review potentially reduces psychological distress and despair, addresses unsolved conflicts and regrets, and puts guilt into perspective. It potentially improves psychological wellbeing, creates hope, aids in personal growth, creates wisdom, and assists in the gaining of valuable insights through the lessons learnt. The psychological and psychospiritual wellbeing benefits of life review in midlife adults therefore are strongly supported in the literature. In essence, life review assists in creating a life with meaning and purpose, resolves regrets, and results in increased psychological wellbeing, life mastery and, ultimately, wisdom.
Copyright (c) 2025 Xanthe Lea, Peter Brown, Susan Gallagher
The Power of Memoirs on the Journey Toward Recovery
People share and listen to stories of illness, trauma, and recovery as a powerful source of healing. Memoirs reflect the intimate, emotional, and personal insights of the wounded storyteller based on their experience of illness and recovery, for sharing with others. Because memoirs are in written form, they also offer the opportunity for readers to learn from them in perpetuity. The present study examines the content of memoirs based on experiences of survivors of stroke, the majority of whom also have aphasia, a stroke-induced communication disorder. Over fifty memoirs of survivors of stroke were assembled for analysis, representing authors from twelve different nationalities, with balanced proportions of male and female authors. A set of representative quotes and content extracted from the memoirs illustrate three main themes. One theme was the threat to one’s identity following the traumatic onset of stroke and aphasia, and how one rises to that challenge. A second theme was how to achieve acceptance, including acceptance of one’s new life and post-stroke identity. A third theme centered on gratitude for survival and providing lessons for others on how one can cope and recover, as one expression of that gratitude. Findings hold implications for the potential universality of healing themes of identity reformulation, acceptance, and gratitude—across time, cultures, and genders—among survivors of illness and trauma.
Special Section: The Healing Power of Storytelling: Papers From the 2022 Meeting of the International Center for Life Story Innovations and Practice | Guest Editor: Juliette Shellman
Copyright (c) 2024 Hanna K. Ulatowska, Gloria S. Olness
How Our Society Can Benefit From Oral Narrative Practice
Touch in Times of Skin Hunger: With Captivating Stories From and for Young and Old (Els Messelis, 2021)
Copyright (c) 2024 Noelle Sant, Sima Ipakchian Askari
Guided Autobiography Groups With Turkish Older Adults: First Impressions
During the Covid-19 pandemic, because of the restrictions for people over 65, the Fresh-Distance Projects (Taze Mesafeli Projeler) was initiated online in order to continue the learning processes of 60+ Tazelenme University students and to reduce the negative effects brought on by social restrictions. Fresh Autobiography was one of the projects that was held during the period April 2021-June 2021 with two Guided Autobiography Groups (GAB) with older adults. After defining the themes to be used, an announcement was released within the social media groups of Tazelenme University Students with a poster and applications collected via a Google Forms document. At the end of the application process, two GAB Groups were formed: a Wednesday Group with four participants (three male; one female); and a Sunday Group with six participants (two male; four female). It was observed that participants found the GAB processs therapeutic, and it provided opportunities 1) to get to know each other, 2) for new subjects to talk with family members in their daily life, and 3) to gain new perspectives on their life experiences. Also, they requested to continue GAB groups with further themes. These findings parallel the GAB literature.
Social Engagement of Individuals Living With Dementia Through Shared Stories: A Program Evaluation
The use of Guided Autobiography (GAB) as a promising practice for individuals living with dementia was utilized with two groups of six individuals along with care providers over two, eight-week sessions. A qualitative program evaluation was conducted to determine the feasibility of offering the GAB class for program evaluation for individuals living with dementia. The evaluation was guided by a theoretical foundation utilizing Self-Determination Theory.
"Family is About Who Loves You." Exploring the Adoption Journey With Photos and Stories
Adoption has complex implications for individuals and families, involving questions about the unknown (Dexter Brown & Reavey, 2008), a sense of trauma or loss (Lambert, 2020), or seeking one’s identity (Tan & Jordan-Arthur, 2012). Few studies have used images to research the adoption phenomenon. This qualitative study used a photovoice approach to explore experiences and perspectives of people touched by adoption using photos and narratives. Through a Photo + Story online survey, 37 participants, including adoptees and parents, siblings, and grandparents of adopted children, uploaded an image of what adoption meant to them, along with a brief written narrative and demographic information. Seventeen of the participants additionally took part in one of four focus groups where they shared their photos, elaborated on their stories, and engaged in dialogue about common experiences. Photos and narratives underwent systematic visuo-textual analysis (Brown & Collins, 2021), subsequently integrated with a thematic analysis of the focus group transcripts. In total, 74 codes emerged across all data. Synthesis of the codes resulted in three main themes: 1) Identity (e.g., adopted vs. biological, race/ethnicity, belonging); 2) Journey (e.g., waiting, first encounter, questioning/searching, secrets); and 3) Making Sense (e.g., gratitude, whole/complete, acceptance). Participants’ perspectives varied based on adoption status (e.g., adoptee vs. adoptive parent). Overall, the rich integration of images, stories, and dialogue revealed ways adoptees and their families reconcile the unknown as well as the diverse and dynamic ways we construct and understand both individual and family identities.
Copyright (c) 2024 Michelle A. Cole, Christina B. Gunther, Robin L. Danzak
A Comparison of Lifelines Recalled by Older Adults and Anticipated by Younger Adults
The reminiscence bump effect is the tendency for older adults to recall more life events from their teens, twenties, and early thirties than from other decades of life. The purpose of this study was to compare patterns of life events recalled by older adults as they looked back at their past to life events anticipated by younger adults to occur in their future. Twenty-five older adults (mean age = 79.68 years, SD = 7.84) completed a lifeline by drawing the course of their life from birth to their current age, placing life events on the line, and indicating their age when each event occurred. Sixty-five younger adults (mean age = 18.88 years, SD = 0.82) completed a future-oriented lifeline by drawing the anticipated course of their life from their current age to the age of their anticipated death, placing anticipated life events on the line, and indicating their age when each event was expected to occur. Younger adults reported a significantly higher frequency of anticipated life events from the reminiscence bump period (58.60%) than did older adults recalling events from their past (35.29%). Younger adults anticipated a significantly higher percentage of negative life events (43.41%), compared to the percentage of those recalled by older adults (17.64%). Overall, the pattern of an anticipation bump for younger adults was similar to that of a reminiscence bump observed for older adults. Findings are consistent with a cultural life script account of the reminiscence bump.
Copyright (c) 2024 Brian A. Carle, Grace Flood, Thomas W. Pierce, Kathleen M. Arnold, Jeffery E. Aspelmeier, Jenessa C. Steele
Adapting the Structured Life Review for People Living With Dementia: Implementation With Unpaid Older Adult Caregivers
Little research has been conducted to designate an effective life review intervention that reduces caregiver burden and extends the physical and cognitive function of people living with dementia (PLWD). This paper reports on the re-design and implementation of an adapted structured life review intervention for caregivers to facilitate with PLWD. There were five phases in the planning and implementation of this modified intervention. These phases included a literature review, curriculum design and caregiver training, weekly life review sessions, weekly feasibility sessions, and an evaluation. In a pilot study, 19 dyads (PLWD and caregivers) were enrolled, and 17 dyads completed the re-designed life review intervention. The caregivers found that they wanted more time to learn about each other in the training class. Minimal assistance was needed during the fidelity sessions, which the caregivers completed on a weekly basis while they facilitated life reviews with their care recipients over six weeks. There were many positive outcomes to the re-designing of the structured life review; however, due to the small sample size, tests of statistical significance were not informative. Conducting this program with a larger sample size of PLWD and caregiver dyads is recommended.
Copyright (c) 2024 Cheryl Brohard, Yolanda Batz
Introduction to the Special Section: Papers of the 2022 Meeting of the International Center for Life Story Innovations and Practice
Feasibility of a Simplified Version of Guided Autobiography in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Pilot Study
This study developed a shortened version of guided autobiography (GAB), which consisted of four sessions in which participants wrote a weekly autobiographical essay and shared it with others. This intervention study aimed to help community-dwelling older adults find a meaningful life, and we tested its feasibility. In the final session, instead of an autobiographical essay, they created an autobiographical collage using photos and letters and shared it with others. Among those who participated in all sessions, ego integrity increased, and mental health tended to improve after the program. This study suggested that the shortened GAB can be feasible for positively accepting the self and finding meaning in life among Japanese older adults.
Copyright (c) 2024 Sachiko Yamazaki, Mayuko Ono, Chibo Shimada, Cullen T. Hayashida, Michiyo Tomioka, Hisao Osada, Tomoko Ikeuchi
Resilience, Re-silence, Repeat: The Past and Future of Pandemic Reminiscence
Surviving and Thriving Beyond Young Adulthood in India as a Queer Person: Perspectives from Personal Life Review and the Value of Story Telling
Re/composing Memories: Aging, Emotion, and Autobiographical Memory
Memory is an elusive and yet compelling concept. In this paper, we explore the narrative complexity of autobiographical memory, from Randall and McKim’s (2008) existing framework that outlines four overlapping angles: truth-wise, self-wise, time-wise, and other-wise. We seek to take up and extend each of these angles, or dimensions, aiming to bring them to life with empirical data - and we propose a fifth angle, emotion-wise, highlighting the affective nature of autobiographical memory. Based on participant observation, life history interviews, and the written memoirs of older adults who participated in (primarily) library-based writing groups in Southern Ontario, Canada, we employed narrative inquiry to investigate the process and activity of writing as a leisure practice. In our data, participants discuss their unconscious and/or deliberate blurring of fact (reality) versus imagination in their memory-based accounts. They reflect on their shifting conceptions of past, present, and future selves within the stories they tell as well as their recounted experiences of self-discovery and self-exploration. They also explore the role of others in shaping their stories and memories. Throughout, the influence of emotion is palpable. We posit that dynamic reminiscence, such as that represented by the crafting of memoirs within writing groups, enables the exploration of these dimensions of autobiographical memory. As such, the capacity of participants to engage in narrative practice is nurtured, and the greater is the concordant capacity for development, growth, (self-)wisdom in later life.
Copyright (c) 2022 Meridith Griffin, Kelsey Harvey
Motivational and Affective Themes in the Life Stories of Underserved Emerging Adults: A Pilot Study
Narrative identity is an internal and evolving life story, constructed in the interest of attaining purpose and personal persistence. Here, we report the results of a pilot study examining the narrative identities of a sample of underserved emerging adults (n = 19) currently receiving social services. Participants, the majority of which were ethnic minorities, provided five self-definitional autobiographical stories during a semi-structured life story interview. Stories were reliably quantified for agency (themes of self-mastery and competence), communion (themes of intimacy and connectedness), redemption (stories that began negatively and ended positively) and contamination (stories that began positively and ended negatively). Across two time points, agency was negatively associated with depressive symptoms, and redemption tended to be negatively associated with emotional dysregulation. Relations between narratives and psychological well-being were summarized via the illustration of four qualitative case summaries embodying these broader trends.
Copyright (c) 2022 The International Journal of Reminiscence and Life Review
Copyright (c) 2021 The International Journal of Reminiscence and Life Review
A Life Story from the Perspectives of Personality and Theology