The Relationship Between Reminiscence Styles and Psychological Well-Being in Older Adults: The Mediating Role of Social Capital

Abstract
Background: With the growing older adult population, psychological well-being has become a key indicator of mental health and quality of life in later life. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between reminiscence styles and psychological well-being in older adults, with social capital as a mediator.

Methods: This correlational study used path analysis. The target population comprised adults aged 60 years and older living in districts of Hamedan, Iran. A convenience sample of 200 participants was recruited. Measures included the Onyx and Bullen Social Capital Questionnaire, the Amani et al. Elderly Reminiscence Questionnaire, and Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale. After excluding invalid questionnaires and multivariate outliers, path analysis was conducted on data from 185 participants. Pearson correlations and structural equation modeling were performed using SPSS-21 and LISREL-9.1.

Results: The final model demonstrated adequate fit. Sobel tests indicated significant indirect effects of narrative–transmissive, obsessive, and death-preparation reminiscence on psychological well-being through social capital, while integrative reminiscence was directly related to psychological well-being without mediation.

Conclusion: Social capital may function as an important mechanism linking certain reminiscence styles to psychological well-being in older adults. Accordingly, promoting adaptive reminiscence alongside community-based initiatives to build social capital may be a useful direction for improving mental health among Iranian older adults.