Growing Memories: Benefits of an early childhood maternal reminiscing intervention for emerging adults’ turning point narratives and well-being

Abstract

The current study is an emerging adult follow-up of a longitudinal intervention study of maternal reminiscing (Growing Memories; N = 115). Mothers in the intervention condition were taught elaborative reminiscing skills when their children were 1.5–2.5 years old. We tested long-term effects of the intervention for emerging adults’ turning-point narratives and well-being at age 21 (n = 94; 82%). Emerging adults in the intervention condition displayed greater causal coherence (connections between past and present self) in their turning-point narratives and reported higher self-esteem and fewer depression symptoms than those in the control condition, even after accounting for personality traits and early childhood covariates. These findings suggest that maternal reminiscing has a long-term impact on their offsprings’ narrative identity and well-being.