| Themes of Caring, Mourning, and Integrity are one focus of this study of Life Review, a natural process that may lead to psychological growth in old age. A comparison of short-term intensive Life Review therapy in group and dyadic relationships is a second focus.;The three Life Review themes--Mourning, Caring, and Integrity--were identified and described through qualitative analysis of transcribed tape recordings of the Life Review sessions.;Caring had various functions and meanings for the subjects, and there were different capacities to balance giving and accepting care in old age, suggesting developmentally different levels of Caring.;Mourning for loved ones was frequently expressed, but competence, status, role, and past selves were also mourned. Normal mourning often depended on supportive relationships and the ability to tolerate depressive feelings.;Twenty low-income women, aged 65 to 85, met for twelve twice-weekly Life Review sessions, ten in a group and ten in a dyadic context, with an accepting, supportive listener.;The struggle for Integrity included the resolution of mourning and generational maturity, the balance of giving and accepting care. Integrity also required accepting past and present selves and others, without idealization or devaluation, as well as recognition of the imminence of one's death. Idealization of the past led to Despair.;Quantitative analyses of background variables and scores on pre- and post-test measures of life satisfaction, self-esteem, and depression produced the following suggestive results: (1) Depression may decrease with Life Review. (2) Dyadic Life Review is more likely than group Life Review to increase self-esteem and decrease depression. (3) Life Review may be more helpful to those living alone. (4) Age and years widowed are positively related to life satisfaction, while living alone and pain are inversely related.;In short, in the Life Review of elderly women, their Mourning and concern with Caring can be heard. The Life Review may also be closely linked with the struggle for integrity and the working through of depression, particularly in a dyadic relationship--and particularly for those who live alone. |
