Attachment-focused integrative reminiscence with older African Americans: a randomized controlled intervention study

Abstract

Objectives: Prior integrative reminiscence interventions have had a limited focus on attachment themes. The attachment-focused integrative reminiscence (AFIR) intervention differs from these in its central emphasis on attachment themes. The wide range of health benefits resulting from integrative reminiscence may be due in part to reminiscing about, mourning, and integrating unresolved attachment experiences.

Method: Participants were randomized into treatment and wait-list control conditions, completed a pre-test, met for eight consecutive weekly two-hour sessions of largely attachment-focused reminiscence, then completed post-tests immediately following the intervention and again six months later.

Results: Results show treatment effects for depression (p = .01 and .05 at eight weeks and six months), perceived stress (p = .01 and .04), and emergency room (ER) visits at six months (p = .04), with the intervention group showing lower depression and stress and fewer ER visits.

Conclusion: Integrative reminiscence interventions are cost effective, have rapid impact, and carry a certain appeal to older adults. Augmenting such interventions with a focus on attachment experiences may reduce perceived stress, an important health risk factor. Wider application of AFIRs may further reduce health disparities among US older adults.

Keywords:

• health disparities
• integrative reminiscence
• attachment
• perceived stress
• depression
• African American older adults

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the CITRA for assistance with this project, particularly Leslie Schultz and Carrie Chalmers for invaluable logistical support; to Jeanne Teresi and Nelson Peralta at the Columbia Center for the Active Life of Minority Elders (CALME); to the CHSCC directors, Rita Carrington and Josie Piper, and the CHSCC Advisory Board; to the participants for their commitment to this project; and to our research assistants, Taniqua Stewart and Jamie Curry.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institute of Health/National Institute on Aging [grant number 3 P30 AG022845-03S1]; the Columbia University Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR) [grant number 51605/P001].