Meaning and life and mastery mediate the relationship of negative reminiscence with psychological distress among depressed older adults

To understand the adaptive value of reminiscence, a mediational structural equation model of reminiscence was tested in a sample of older adults with mild to moderate depressive symptoms. It was investigated if psychological resources (mastery, presence of meaning in life and search for meaning in life) mediated the relation between reminiscence (self-positive: identity and problem solving, and self-negative reminiscence: bitterness revival and boredom reduction) and psychological distress (depression and anxiety). Results showed that psychological resources fully mediated the relation between self-negative reminiscence and psychological distress. Specifically, self-negative reminiscing was related to decreased psychological distress through meaning in life and sense of mastery. This study contributes to current knowledge on the relation between reminiscence and mental health. It helps to understand better how reminiscence is related to psychological distress, especially in depressed older adults. Furthermore, the findings suggest the usefulness of focusing on strengthening psychological resources in therapeutic reminiscence-based strategies.