“There are certain ways of interpreting and narrating our lived experiences that are associated with flourishing and making meaning,” says Hollen Reischer, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at the University at Buffalo. Dr. Reischer’s research examined narrative self-transcendence in the life stories of a group of late-midlife adults shared over eight years. “This research supports the idea that late midlife is a time of possible positive change and that one has the power to work towards personal growth, fulfillment, understanding and acceptance.”
The academic continues, “Self-acceptance isn’t an endorsement for the bad things that have happened, nor is it ‘just’ an attitude. It’s an active understanding of how one’s life experiences have contributed to an understanding of oneself in the present.”
Self-transcendence is a term psychologists use for the experience of connection beyond the self. It can have spiritual implications, but self-transcendence also relates to personal connections. It’s a multifaceted process, evolving over the life course, that involves greater attention to the meaning of one’s own life and to the perspectives of and connections with others. High self-transcendence is associated with increased well-being, better mental health, coping skills and optimism. Narrative self-transcendence refers to the indicators or the aspects of self-transcendence that surface when people talk about their lives.
Unlike self-report measures that rely on fixed questions, narrative self-transcendence shows up in the open-ended articulation of a life story. Rather than being limited to the choices presented to them, as with self-reporting, participants in this case provide researchers with a richer account of experiences and reflections. Most of the time, participants are narrating stories from their lives that have little to do with self-transcendence, at least on the surface.
The only thing I take issue with is that Dr. Reischer defines “late midlife” as 56-65. As someone who is 64, I’m more comfy with the academics who suggest it’s 60-75.
-Chip