Login Register Cart 0
profile pic

Adolescent Psychiatry

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 2210-6766
ISSN (Online): 2210-6774

Back
Journal Home About Journal Editorial Board Journal Insight Current Issue Volumes/Issues
Subscribe
Research Article

Exploration of Psychological Well-Being, Resilience, Ethnic Identity, and Meaningful Events Among a Group of Youth in Northern England: An Autobiographical Narrative Intervention Pilot Study

Author(s): Caroline S. Clauss-Ehlers*

Volume 10, Issue 2, 2020

Page: [92 - 109] Pages: 18

DOI: 10.2174/2210676610666200226090427

Price: $65

Abstract

Background: Autobiographical narrative (i.e., the process through writing or storytelling where one recalls life experiences and their impact on identity) has been found to effectively help adolescents cope with a range of medical and psychological issues.

Objective: The current study addressed the overall preliminary research question: How does implementing an autobiographical narrative approach promote resilience, psychological well- being, and ethnic identity among adolescents? A secondary study aim was to explore how central the memories evoked by each workshop were to participant identity. The study’s third goal was to promote life skill development and self-awareness through participation in the autobiographical narrative intervention.

Methods: The intervention incorporated a community-based participatory research (CBPR) framework in its partnership with a community centre in Northern England. The intervention consisted of an 8-week autobiographical program with youth participants from working and lower middle-class backgrounds. Socioeconomic status was operationalized by self-report on a demographic data sheet completed by participants.

Results: Analyses indicated that participants viewed the events discussed in the 8-week program as being more central to their lives after their participation. Maladaptive coping appeared to decrease after participation in the intervention.

Conclusion: Results suggest interventions that incorporate an autobiographical narrative approach within a CBPR framework may promote positive outcomes among adolescents with limited economic resources.

Keywords: Resilience, youth, autobiographical narrative, well-being, global adolescent mental health.

« Previous Next »
Banks, M.V., Salmon, K. (2013). Reasoning about the self in positive and negative ways: Relationship to psychological functioning in young adulthood. Memory, 21(1), 10-26.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2012.707213] [PMID: 22897204]
Belone, L., Tosa, J., Shendo, K., Toya, A., Straits, K., Tafoya, G., Rae, R., Noyes, E., Bird, D. & , Wallerstein, N. (2016). Community-based participatory research for cocreating interventions with Native communities: A partnership between the University of New Mexico and the pueblo of Jemez. In: N.Zane, , G.Bernal &, , , F.T.L. Leong, (Eds.), Evidence-based psychological practice with ethnic minorities: Culturally informed research and clinical strategies. (pp. 199-220). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/14940-010]
Berntsen, D., Rubin, D.C. (2006). The centrality of event scale: A measure of integrating a trauma into one’s identity and its relation to post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. Behav. Res. Ther., 44(2), 219-231.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2005.01.009] [PMID: 16389062]
Berntsen, D., Willert, M., Rubin, D.C. (2003). Splintered memories or vivid landmarks? Qualities and organization of traumatic memories with and without PTSD. Appl. Cogn. Psychol., 17, 675-693.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/acp.894]
Cann, A., Calhoun, L.G., Tedeschi, R.G., Kilmer, R.P., Gil-Rivas, V., Vishnevsky, T., Danhauer, S.C. (2010). The Core Beliefs Inventory: A brief measure of disruption in the assumptive world. Anxiety Stress and Coping, 23(1), 19-34.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10615800802573013] [PMID: 19326274]
Clauss-Ehlers, C.S. (2004) Re-inventing resilience: A model of “culturally-focused resilient adaptation. In C.S. Clauss-Ehlers & M.D. Weist (Eds)., Community planning to foster resilience in children. (pp. 27-41). New York, NY: Kluwer.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-0-306-48544-2_3]
Clauss-Ehlers, C.S. (2008). Sociocultural factors, resilience, and coping: Support for a culturally sensitive measure of resilience. J. Appl. Dev. Psychol., 29(3), 197-212.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2008.02.004]
Clauss-Ehlers, C.S., Chiriboga, D.A., Hunter, S.J., Roysircar, G., Tummala-Narra, P. (2019). APA Multicultural Guidelines executive summary: Ecological approach to context, identity, and intersectionality. Am. Psychol., 74(2), 232-244.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/amp0000382] [PMID: 30762387]
Clauss-Ehlers, C.S., Wibrowski, C. (2007). Building resilience and social support: The effects of an educational opportunity fund academic program among first- and second-generation college students. J. Coll. Student Dev., 24(5), 574-584.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/csd.2007.0051]
Frerichs, L., Lich, K.H., Dave, G., Corbie-Smith, G. (2016). Integrating systems science and community-based participatory research to achieve health equity. Am. J. Public Health, 106(2), 215-222.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302944] [PMID: 26691110]
Glück, J., Bluck, S., Baron, J., McAdams, D.P. (2005). The wisdom of experience: Autobiographical narratives across adulthood. Int. J. Behav. Dev., 29(3), 197-208.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/01650250444000504]
Howard, J.A., Renfrow, D.G. (2014). Intersectionality. In J.D. McLeod, E.J. Lawler. & M. Schwalbe (Eds.) Handbook of the social psychology of inequality. (pp. 95-121). New York: NY: Springer.
Jayalakshmi, V., Magdalin, S. (2015). Emotional intelligence, resilience and mental health of women college students. J. Psychosom. Res., 10(2), 401-408.
Jernigan, V. B. B., Jacob, T. Tribal Community Research Team, & Styne, D. (2016). The adaptation and implementation of a community-based participatory research curriculum to build tribal research capacity. American Journal of Public Health, 105(S3), S424-S432.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302674] [PMID: 25905848]
Karakayali, N. (2005). Duality and diversity in the lives of immigrant children: Rethinking the “Problem of the Second Generation” in light of immigrant autobiographies*. Can. Rev. Sociol. Anthropol., 42(3), 325-343.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-618X.2005.tb00843.x]
Lally, K. (2017). How many different types of Scouse accent are there? Echo.https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/how-many-different-types-scouse-13269716
Leyva, D., Sparks, A., Reese, E. (2012). The link between preschoolers’ phonological awareness and mothers’ book-reading and reminiscing practices in low-income families. J. Literacy Res., 44(4), 426-447.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1086296X12460040]
Lilgendahl, J.P., McAdams, D.P. (2011). Constructing stories of self-growth: How individual differences in patterns of autobiographical reasoning relate to well-being in midlife. J. Pers., 79(2), 391-428.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.2010.00688.x] [PMID: 21395593]
Lichtveld, M., Goldstein, B., Grattan, L., Mundorf, C. (2016). Then and now: Lessons learned from community-academic partnerships in environmental health research. Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source, 15(1), 117.
Majorano, M., Musetti, A., Brondino, M., Corsano, P. (2015). Loneliness, emotional autonomy and motivation for solitary behavior during adolescence. J. Child Fam. Stud., 24(11), 3436-3447.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10826-015-0145-3]
Malkoc, A., Yalcin, I. (2015). Relationships among resilience, social support, coping, and psychological well-being among university students. Turkish Psychological Counseling & Guidance Journal, 43(5), 35.
Martínez-Martí, M., Ruch, W. (2017). Character strengths predict resilience over and above positive affect, self-efficacy, optimism, social support, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. J. Posit. Psychol., 12(2), 110-119.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2016.1163403]
Masten, A.S. (2014). Global perspectives on resilience in children and youth. Child Dev.,, 85(1), 6-20.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12205] [PMID: 24341286]
McAdams, D. (2007). Autobiographical narratives. In R. F. Baumeister & K. D. Vohs (Eds.)Encyclopedia of social psychology. (Vol. 1, pp. 84-85). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc..
[http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412956253.n47]
McAdams, D.P. (2012a). Exploring psychological themes through life narrative accounts. In: J.A. Holstein & J. F. , , Gubrium, , (Eds.), Varieties of narrative analysis. (pp. 15-32). London: Sage. a.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781506335117.n2]
McAdams, D.P. (2012). Life story interview.https://www.sesp.northwestern.edu/foley/instruments/interview/ b
McAdams, D.P. (2006). Foley Center, guided autobiography.http://www.sesp.northwestern.edu/foley/instruments/guided/
McGannon, K.R., McMahon, J. (2019). Understanding female athlete disordered eating and recovery through narrative turning points in autobiographies. Psychol. Sport Exerc., 40, 42-50.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2018.09.003]
McLean, K.C., Breen, A.V. (2009). Processes and content of narrative identity development in adolescence: Gender and well-being. Dev. Psychol., 45(3), 702-710.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0015207] [PMID: 19413426]
McLean, K.C., Pasupathi, M., Pals, J.L. (2007). Selves creating stories creating selves: A process model of self-development. Pers. Soc. Psychol. Rev., 11(3), 262-278.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1088868307301034] [PMID: 18453464]
Oppenheimer, M., Miller, E.W., Clauss-Ehlers, C.S. (unpublished manuscript). Reducing mental health disparities by promoting social emotional health among early adolescents: Middle school as a system of care
Phinney, J. (1992). The Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure: A new scale for use with adolescents and young adults from diverse groups. J. Adolesc. Res., 7, 156-176.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/074355489272003]
Piana, N., Maldonato, A., Bloise, D., Carboni, L., Careddu, G., Fraticelli, E., Mereu, L., Romani, G. (2010). The narrative-autobiographical approach in the group education of adolescents with diabetes: A qualitative research on its effects. Patient Educ. Couns., 80(1), 56-63.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2009.10.020] [PMID: 20045279]
Reese, E., Fivush, R., Merrill, N., Wang, Q., McAnally, H. (2017). Adolescents’ intergenerational narratives across cultures. Dev. Psychol., 53(6), 1142-1153.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/dev0000309] [PMID: 28414512]
Roberts, R., Phinney, J., Masse, L., Chen, Y., Roberts, C., Romero, A. (1999). The structure of ethnic identity in young adolescents from diverse ethnocultural groups. J. Early Adolesc., 19, 301-322.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0272431699019003001]
Robson, D. (2016). How important is social class in Britain today?. BBC News.https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20160406-how-much-does-social-class-matter-in-britain-today
Roxberg, A., Burman, M., Guldbrand, M., Fridlund, B., Barbosa da Silva, A. (2010). Out of the wave: The meaning of suffering and relieved suffering for survivors of the tsunami catastrophe. An hermeneutic-phenomenological study of TV-interviews one year after the tsunami catastrophe, 2004. Scand. J. Caring Sci., 24(4), 707-715.
[http://dx.doi.org/onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1471-6712.2009.00767.x/abstract]
Rutter, M. (1985). Resilience in the face of adversity: Protective factors and resistance to psychiatric disorder. Br. J. Psychiatry, 147, 598-611.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.147.6.598] [PMID: 3830321]
Ryff, C.D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological well-being. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol., 57(6), 1069-1081.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.57.6.1069]
Ryff, C.D., Keyes, C.L.M. (1995). The structure of psychological well-being revisited. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol., 69(4), 719-727.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.69.4.719] [PMID: 7473027]
Salkind, N.J. (2010). Face validity. Encyclopedia of research design.. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Research Methods.
Springer, K.W., Hauser, R.M. (2006). An assessment of the construct validity of Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Well-Being: Method, mode, and measurement effects. Soc. Sci. Res., 35, 1119-1130.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2005.07.004]
Ungar, M. (2011). Community resilience for youth and families: Facilitative physical and social capital in contexts of adversity. Child. Youth Serv. Rev., 33, 1742-1748.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.04.027]
Warner, L.J., Lumley, M.A., Casey, R.J., Pierantoni, W., Salazar, R., Zoratti, E.M., Enberg, R., Simon, M.R. (2006). Health effects of written emotional disclosure in adolescents with asthma: A randomized, controlled trial. J. Pediatr. Psychol., 31(6), 557-568.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsj048] [PMID: 16014820]
Westby, C., Culatta, B. (2016). Telling tales: Personal event narratives and life stories. Lang. Speech Hear. Serv. Sch., 47(4), 260-282.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1044/2016_LSHSS-15-0073]

Rights & Permissions Print Cite
Article Metrics
24
2
© 2025 Bentham Science Publishers | Privacy Policy