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 toward 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 analyzed using thematic analysis. The intervention was reported to be a positive experience that 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 indicate it is generally acceptable, useful, and age-appropriate for them.