A Qualitative Study of Young Adults Experience with a Reminiscence-Based Therapy for Depressive Symptoms

Reminiscence therapy is a novel psychosocial approach to treating depressive symptoms in young adults. We present the first qualitative inquiry into young adults’ experience of reminiscence-based therapy, aimed at exploring attitudes towards this approach and their view of processes underpinning positive change. Help-seeking young adults (mean age 20.8, SD = 1.6) with at least moderate depressive symptoms were interviewed following a course of cognitive-reminiscence therapy. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. The intervention was reported to be a positive experience which led to positive outcomes. Change was attributed to common therapy factors, and specific factors of cognitive reframing, increasing awareness of a broader life story, learning from the past to feel more confident and able to cope, and strengthened self-worth and self-acceptance. These findings provide unique insight into young adults’ experience with reminiscence-based treatment for depressive symptoms, and indicates it is generally acceptable, useful, and age-appropriate for them.