Abstract
Storytellers reveal who and why they are the way they are through life story narratives. Moreover, burgeoning research suggests that the expression of personal identity through narrative is related to subjective well-being. A prominent personality framework positions personal identity in life stories as a fundamental layer above traits, and an array of motivational and socio-cognitive constructs (McAdams, 2013; McAdams & McLean, 2013). Yet little research has investigated the developmental trajectories of narrative identity indicators by emerging adulthood, and whether these indicators predict later well-being. The present thesis sought to examine specific aspects of young people’s autobiographical memories as they relate to, predict, and shape their sense of identity and well-being.
The first study (N = 111) investigated the concurrent and longitudinal relationships between personality (trait and narrative identity layers) and well-being with a sample of mid-adolescents (Time 1 Mage = 16.01) who were assessed again in emerging adulthood five years later (Time 2 Mage = 21.21). Across time, trait neuroticism increased and extraversion decreased; in terms of narrative identity, causal coherence increased. Healthier trait levels were associated with better well-being outcomes, and causal coherence was associated with fewer depressive symptoms five years later, even after controlling for traits. However, narrative identity did not predict well-being over time.
To better understand the link between narrative identity and well-being, it is important to consider the environments in which individuals develop the necessary skills for personal storytelling. The second study (N = 115) was an adult follow-up of a longitudinal intervention study of maternal reminiscing. Mothers in the intervention condition were taught elaborative reminiscing skills when their children were 1.5 to 2.5 years old. This study tested long-term effects of the intervention for adults’ life stories and well-being at age 21 (n = 94). Youth in the intervention condition evidenced greater causal coherence in their life stories and reported greater self-esteem and fewer depression symptoms than youth in the control condition, even after accounting for personality traits and early childhood covariates. This study indicates that the benefits from an elaborative reminiscing intervention in early childhood continue into emerging adulthood.
While there is a wealth of research demonstrating the health benefits of expressive writing exercises, there is a gap in published research on the experimental effects of life stories on well-being during emerging adulthood. The third study (N = 108) compared the experimental effects of daily narrations between two writing paradigms (expressive writing and turning-point narratives) for emerging adults’ later health and well-being six weeks later. Relative to the expressive writing and control groups, turning point writers demonstrated greater causal coherence across writings, and more positive emotion and positive tone words. The expressive writing group produced greater rates of negative emotion and negative tone words than the other groups. Although turning point writers evidenced the greatest levels of post-traumatic growth immediately after the intervention, conditions did not differ in health and well-being six weeks later. However, the quality of the writing mediated some benefits: assignment to the turning point group predicted greater causal coherence across writings, which in turn, predicted greater self-esteem improvements, relative to the other conditions. Likewise, assignment to either the turning point and expressive writing group predicted the use of more causation words, which in turn, predicted greater reductions in stress, relative to the control group.
This thesis highlights the critical role of the developmental period known as emerging adulthood in shaping one's identity, and emphasises the distinct developmental patterns of multiple personality layers, along with their relationships with well-being.