science

Reminiscence therapy

Reminiscence therapy is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Reminiscence therapy rather than just read about it. In short: Reminiscence therapy is an intervention technique used with people who have a memory disorder, by asking about their life history. For example, if an older person sees an old photo or a vintage car, then they may be asked if they remember when the photo was taken, or if they knew anyone who had a car like that.

Key takeaways

Reminiscence therapy belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Reminiscence therapy to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Reminiscence therapy from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Reminiscence therapy is an intervention technique used with people who have a memory disorder, by asking about their life history. For example, if an older person sees an old photo or a vintage car, then they may be asked if they remember when the photo was taken, or if they knew anyone who had a car like that. The technique is used to counsel and support people with brain-injured patients and people with Alzheimer's and similar cognitive problems. The American Psychological Association (APA) defines "the use of life histories – written, oral, or both – to improve psychological well-being. The therapy is often used with older people." This form of therapeutic intervention respects the life and experiences of the individual with the aim to help the patient maintain good mental health. The majority of research on reminiscence therapy has been done with the elderly community, especially those suffering from depression, although a few studies have looked at other elderly samples. Research and implementation has been tried in several areas with diverse cultures such as Japan, United Kingdom, USA. Overall, reminiscence therapy is an inexpensive and potentially beneficial approach to helping the elderly age successfully and happily. It appears to provide them with a sense of overall life satisfaction and coping skills, and may also help to ameliorate the symptoms of depression and dementia.

Reminiscence

Reminiscence has been described as "the volitional or non-volitional act or process of recollecting memories of oneself in the past". In other words, it involves the recalling and re-experiencing of one's life events. This involves having an intact autobiographical memory in order to be able to recall certain life events.The meaningfulness of the reminiscence process depends on how meaningful the memories being recalled are. Different ways to make these memories more meaningful are to ask questions which suggest the importance of the event as well as using historical materials from ones past. Reminiscence serves different psychological functions, including the taxonomy presented by Webster. Webster's Reminiscence Functions Scale (RFS) includes eight reasons why people reminisce: boredom reduction, bitterness revival, prepare for death, conversation, identity, intimacy maintenance, problem solving, and teach/inform. Psychologists have looked at using reminiscence therapeutically to improve affect and coping skills, although the effectiveness of this therapy has been debated. From more recent data, as outlined below, the therapy appears to have positive and even lasting results within the elderly community. There are different types of reminiscence which can take place. The two main subtypes are intrapersonal and interpersonal reminiscence. Intrapersonal takes a cognitive stance and occurs individually. Interpersonal takes more of a conversational side and is a group-based therapy. Reminiscence can then be further broken down into three specific types which are: information, evaluation, and obsessive. Information reminiscence is done to be able to enjoy the retelling of stories from one's past. This type can also be used to help someone who may be lacking interest in his or her life and relationships. The ability to recall good memories can help them remember what they do have to be happy about. Evaluative reminiscence is the main type of reminiscence therapy as it is based on Dr. Robert Butler's life review. This process involves recalling memories throughout one's entire life and sharing these stories with other people. Often this is done within group therapy. Obsessive reminiscence occurs when somebody needs to be able to let go of any stress of guilt that may be lingering. By working through these issues it allows them to be at peace with themselves. Reminiscence has also been used to help people deal with the death of a loved one. By sharing stories about the loved one's life they can remember fond memories and gain a sense of peace with the death.

Method Reminiscence therapy is often used in a nursing home or "geriatric health facility." The structure of reminiscence therapy can vary greatly. In one documented session, a therapist played different songs from the 1920s-1960s and asked the patients which songs resonate or have a special meaning. In another session from the same therapist, the participants shared photographs and had a show-and-tell about why the pictures were important to them. Psychological research has identified two types of reminiscence therapies that are particularly effective: integrative and instrumental.

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Reminiscence therapy: Dr. Robert Butler, one of the main two researchers most associated with this field of work.(Erikson late 1950s, Butler early 1960s) — Dr. Robert Butler, one of the main two researchers most associated with this field of work.(Erikson late 1950s, Butler early 1960s)

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Reminiscence therapy

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Reminiscence therapy claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Reminiscence therapy before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Reminiscence therapy ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Reminiscence therapy

In research: Reminiscence therapy appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Reminiscence therapy in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Reminiscence therapy is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Counseling, Dementia, Geriatrics, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Reminiscence therapy outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Reminiscence therapy in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Reminiscence therapy means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Reminiscence therapy out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Reminiscence therapy in simple terms?

Why does Reminiscence therapy matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Reminiscence therapy?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Reminiscence therapy.