Although growth has been a central focus in narrative research, few studies have examined growth comprehensively, as a story that emerges across the interpretation of many events. In this study, we examined how individual differences in autobiographical reasoning (AR) about self-growth relate to traits and well-being in midlife adults. Two patterns of growth-related AR were identified: 1) positive processing, defined as the average tendency to interpret events positively (vs. negatively), and 2) differentiated processing, defined as the extent to which past events are interpreted as causing a variety of forms of self-growth. Results showed that positive processing was negatively related to neuroticism and predicted well-being even after controlling for the average valence of past events. Additionally, differentiated processing of negative events but not positive events was positively related to openness and predictive of well-being. Finally, growthrelated AR patterns independently predicted well-being beyond the effects of traits and demographic factors. Keywords GROWTH; AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL REASONING; NARRATIVE IDENTITY; WELL-BEING; MIDLIFE; TRAITS; NEGATIVE EVENTSWhen we share our life stories, our accounts of past events are often accompanied by our interpretations of what role we believe those events have played in shaping us into our present selves. In sharing his life story, for example, one man may describe how his sister's childhood illness led to his decision to become a pediatrician, how making the basketball team in 9 th grade made him realize that hard work really pays off in life, and how having his heart broken by his college sweetheart is the reason why he still has a difficult time trusting women. According to Habermas and Bluck (2000), these causal explanations about selfgrowth are products of autobiographical reasoning, an ever-evolving, interpretive process of connecting past events to self that is central to the construction of narrative identity in adulthood (McAdams, 1993(McAdams, , 2001Pals, 2006a;Pasupathi, Mansour, & Brubaker, 2007;Singer, 2004).In this study, we examined individual differences in the patterns of autobiographical reasoning about growth that are represented in the life stories of midlife adults, focusing Correspondence may be addressed to Jennifer Pals Lilgendahl at jlilgend@haverford.edu or Haverford College, 370 Lancaster Ave., Haverford, PA, 19041, Phone: (610) 896-1236 Fax: (610) NIH-PA Author ManuscriptNIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript specifically on the formation of causal connections -self-event connections that highlight how past events are perceived to have shaped or changed the self over time (Pals, 2006a;Pasupathi, Mansour, & Brubaker, 2007). In other words, how do adults interpret the myriad events that have been experienced by midlife and integrate them into a coherent story of self-growth? Further, what are the implications of this process for well-being? Several recent studies have established a close link in adult samples between ...

A robust empirical literature suggests that individual differences in the thematic and structural aspects of life narratives are associated with and predictive of psychological well-being. However, one limitation of the current field is the multitude of ways of capturing these narrative features, with little attention to overarching dimensions or latent factors of narrative that are responsible for these associations with well-being. In the present study we uncovered a reliable structure that accommodates commonly studied features of life narratives in a large-scale, multi-University collaborative effort. Across three large samples of emerging and mid-life adults responding to various narrative prompts (N = 855 participants, N = 2565 narratives), we found support for three factors of life narratives: motivational and affective themes, autobiographical reasoning, and structural aspects. We also identified a "functional" model of these three factors that reveals a reduced set of narrative features that adequately captures each factor. Additionally, motivational and affective themes was the factor most reliably related to well-being. Finally, associations with personality traits were variable by narrative prompt. Overall, the present findings provide a comprehensive and robust model for understanding the empirical structure of narrative identity as it relates to well-being, which offers meaningful theoretical contributions to the literature, and facilitates practical decision making for researchers endeavoring to capture and quantify life narratives.

This article provides a primer for researchers seeking an introduction to quantitative narrative research methods. It represents a consensus document of most common practices used by the coauthors. Key elements of conducting narrative research (e.g., asking narrative questions, designing narrative prompts, collecting narratives, coding narratives) are discussed along with limitations to this approach and future directions.

This study examined whether positive and negative memories (life story high and low points) were differentially used for reminiscence functions concerning self and social aspects of reminiscing, and relations between function use and well-being in two age groups. Life story high and low points were collected from a sample of emerging (n =56) and older (n =55) adults, as well as a measure of the use of these memories for the self-functions of death preparation, identity, and problem solving, and the social functions of conversation and teach/inform, and a measure of psychological well-being. Memories were also coded for whether or not they contained a redemptive narrative structure (from emotionally negative to emotionally positive). Results showed that the endorsement of reminiscence functions did differ by memory type, with high points more often endorsed for the functions of identity, teach/inform, and conversation than low points. These main effects were qualified by memory type x age interactions. The use of these functions for each kind of memory was also related to well-being, but differentially for older and younger people, and redemptive sequencing was especially important to the well-being of the younger group. Findings are discussed in terms of the importance of different emotional memories for self and well-being at different points in the lifespan.

These studies emphasize the importance of cultural context in considering personality and identity development.