The act of recalling previous experiences is a ecological valid cognitive activity which the elderly often engage in. There have been numerous research on this topic but the results have been equivocal at the best. The reasons for this ambivalent find...
The act of recalling previous experiences is a ecological valid cognitive activity which the elderly often engage in. There have been numerous research on this topic but the results have been equivocal at the best. The reasons for this ambivalent findings are due to several factors. One of which is the lack of conceptual definition about what reminiscence is, and a reliable and valid instrumentation that could provide comparable results across studies. Another is the determination of what type of reminiscence has adaptive value.
Therefore, the object of this study is threefold. First is to clarify the concept of reminiscence by examining its functions and to construct a Korean-Reminiscence Functions Scale for Elderly(K-RFS-E) based on this analysis. Second is to construct a valid and reliable ego-integrity scale to determine adaptive reminiscence functions. And Lastly is to examine psychologcial correlates of reminiscence functions in the elderly.
54 items of the pre-K-RFS-E were developed through literature research, analysis of the existing reminiscence functions scales, and free-response survey and content validity was examined by developmental psychology professionals. The 54 items were then given to 400 adults aged over 60 living in Seoul and other provinces. Of the 400 subjects, 295 responses were factor analyzed. Through this analysis, 37 items and 9 factors were extracted. The 37 items were shortened to 27 items in consideration of the target population. The names of the 9 factors are boredom reduction, identity exploration, transmission, contrition, conversation, intimacy maintenance, escapist, and death preparation. The reliability of K-RFS-E estimated by Cronbach's coefficient(α) was .87 for the scale and the .87 through .58 for each factor.
The effect of various socioeconomic variables and demographic variables on reminiscence functions of the elderly was assess by standard regression analysis. Self-perceived health status was the most important predictor for overall reminiscence frequency, age was a significant predictor for boredom reduction, health was a significant predictor for identity exploration, self-perceived health and income were significant predictors for contrition. Age and self-perceived health were significant predictors for conversation, self-perceived health, age was a significant predictor for intimacy maintenance, age, self-perceived health and sex were significant predictors were death preparation and finally, age was a significant predictor for problem solving factor.
In study II, 34 items of the pre-ego-identity scale were developed through literature research and analysis of existing scales. The content validity of the pre-ego-identity scale items were examined by developmental psychology professionals. The 34 items were given to 300 of the 400 subjects in study I and of the 300, 222 responses were analyzed. The items were factor analyzed and 2 factors consisting of 16 items were extracted. The names of the 2 factors were acceptance of one's past and aging and attitude toward life. The reliability of the ego identity scale was estimated by Cronbach coefficient(α). Reliability for the whole scale was .83 ,the reliability for acceptance of past and aging factor was .83, and attitude toward life was .53.
In order to determine the significant psychological predictors of reminiscence, a series of step-wise regression analysis were computed using, ego-integrity, depression, three personality domains as predictor variables on each of the 9 K-RFS-E factors and the total K-RFS-E score. There were no significant psychological predictor for the total K-RFS-E score but the factors were differentially predicted by the variables. Specifically, acceptance of one's past and aging was a significant predictor for boredom reduction, depression and acceptance of one's past and aging were significant predictors for self-exploration, neurotism was a significant predictor for transmission, acceptance of one's past and aging was a significant predictors for contrition. Also, extraversion was a significant predictor for conversation, attitude tooward life was significant predictor for intimacy maintenance, acceptance of one's past and aging, and neuroticism weres significant predictors for escapist factor, attitude toward life was a significant predictor for problem solving, and finally there were no significant predictors for death preparation.
In conclusion, the goal of this study was to provide and sound instrument to assess the various functions of reminiscence in the elderly and to examine the predictive value of psychologic as well as demographic variables. As the results show the concept of reminiscence has proven to be not a unidimensional but a multidimensional concept which correlates differentially with various socioeconomic and demographic variables, as well as psychological variables. It is hoped that this study can be a basis for further study and research in reminiscence activity among the aged.