Effects of life review on aging mind: Can group reminiscence ward off the secondary aging?

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K04398
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Educational psychology
• Research Institution: Aino University (2019-2022); National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology (2017-2018)
• Principal Investigator: HOSOKAWA Aya 藍野大学, 医療保健学部, 准教授 (00451500)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 回想法 / 認知機能 / 記憶

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Reminiscence is considered an evidence-based intervention for cognitive impairment. The current study investigated effects of reminiscence on cognition and memory in later life to figure out what themes of autobiographical narrative would be attributed to outcomes based on content analyses of life narratives. The reminiscence group significantly improved their performance in MMSE and subtests from WMS-R in the post-test than in the pre-test but slightly deteriorated in the follow-up tests compared to the control group. The content analyses of the narratives found thematic categories in autobiographical components and categories in psychological components which was frequently produced in every session. The results supported the hypothesis whether participation in cognitive exercise and socializing could ward off the symptoms of the secondary aging or not.

Free Research Field

教育心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、回想法の効果について心理検査を用いて客観的に検証することのみならず、自伝
的記憶の視点による指標を用いて質的に回想法における語りデータの内容分析を行い、両者の関連を検討した点に学術的な特色があると考えられる。また、全国でも回想法が導入されている自治体が少ないなか、研究を通して回想法を初めて導入し、地域に定着させることも狙いとしたことにより、回想法終了後も、同じ地域に住む高齢者同士が交流を継続している報告があったことから社会的な意義があったことを示唆している。