Gains in Well-Being Achieved Through Retrospective-Proactive Life Review By Independent Older Women

Abstract

This study investigated gains in psychological well-being achievedby nonclinical, community-dwelling older women through a retrospectiveproactive life review program. The procedure was astructured group experience of 14 weekly 2-hour sessions. The workshopgroup, 18 women aged 56 to 80, completed the program at anacademy for lifelong learning. A comparison group, 18 women aged 61 to88, were also academy students but not in the workshop program.No significant difference in mean scale scores was found on the Scales of Psychological Well-Being between the two groups atpretest, and no significant change in scores was found between pretestand posttest in the comparison group. In contrast, statisticallysignificant pretest-posttest increases in mean scores were found in the workshop group for all six of the scales (autonomy, environmentalmastery, personal growth, positive relations with others, purpose inlife, self-acceptance), and 16 of the 18 participants anonymouslygave the program the top rating of “very helpful.”