HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Cited by other online articles Google Scholar Articles by Cappeliez, P. Articles by O'Rourke, N. Articles citing this Article PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Cappeliez, P. Articles by O'Rourke, N.

Personality Traits and Existential Concerns as Predictors of the Functions of Reminiscence in Older Adults

^a School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Philippe Cappeliez, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 11 Marie Curie Street, P.O. Box 450, Station A, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 6N5 E-mail: pcappeli{at}uottawa.ca.

Decision Editor: Margie E. Lachman, PhD

This study examines to what extent personality and existential constructs predict the frequency of reminiscence, in general, and its various functions, in particular. Eighty-nine older adults completed the NEO-Five Factor Inventory, the Life Attitude Profile–Revised, and the Reminiscence Functions Scale. Neuroticism predicted total reminiscence frequency, as well as reminiscence for self-understanding and ruminating about a negative past. Extraversion predicted total reminiscence frequency, as well as reminiscence for generating stimulation, conversation, and maintaining memories of departed loved ones. Openness to experience predicted total reminiscence frequency and reminiscence for addressing life meaning and death. Existential concerns, and in particular low desire to seek new challenges, added significant additional predictive power for total reminiscence frequency and for such uses as generating stimulation, preparing for death, and ruminating about the past. The discussion draws the implications of the finding that the combination of personality traits and existential concerns predicted the overall reminiscence frequency together with the intrapersonal functions of reminiscence.

This article has been cited by other articles: (Search Google Scholar for Other Citing Articles)

				K. Hooker and D. P. McAdams Personality Reconsidered: A New Agenda for Aging Research J. Gerontol. B. Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci., November 1, 2003; 58(6): P296 - 304. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]