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Common measures
The most frequent characteristics used to evaluate the effects of reminiscence therapy on the patients involved are: Various methods are used to determine the degree to which the above measures change due to therapy.
 * Depressive symptoms
 * Psychological well-being
 * Ego-integrity
 * Meaning and/or purpose in life
 * Mastery
 * Cognitive performance
 * Social interaction
 * Preparation for death
 * Neuroimaging

Factors influencing the success of Reminiscence therapy
Overall, positive outcomes seem to result from reminiscence therapy, although to differing degrees. The variability in the results is thought to be due to various factors, including those that follow.

Forms
Life-review therapy showed the strongest positive effects on psychological well being compared to other life review and simple reminiscence. Life review has been thought to produce greater positive effects compared to reminiscence therapy, due to the increased organization of methods and purpose of this therapy.

Format
The benefits of reminiscence therapies occur independent of whether the therapy is conducted on an individual basis in small or large groups

Number of sessions
The frequency and duration of the therapy program does not seem to alter the effectiveness of reminiscence.

Health
Many specific groups have been targeted for studying the effects of reminiscence therapy and were evaluated using different measures based on their previously existing condition and the problems associated with it.

Dementia
Across studies, reminiscence therapy positively influenced patients with dementia evaluated using various measures. Specifically in vascular dementia, a significant increase in cortical glucose metabolism in bilateral anterior cingulate and in the left inferior temporal lobe

Leprosy
In patients with leprosy, the greatest positive effects were seen in those with depression but reminiscence therapy did not effect the stage of dementia or cognitive scores.

Depression
Those ranking higher in their depression rating showed a greater rate of improvement of their symptoms compared to those exhibiting less depressive symptoms before the therapy began, although improvements were seen across rankings

Alzheimer’s Disease
Single photon emission computed tomography conducted on a elderly patient with Alzheimer's Disease revealed greater blood flow to the frontal lobe of the brain. Which was coupled with positive changes in evaluated behavioural traits.

Age
Initially reminiscence was intended for older adults. However, this therapy my prove to be a valuable tool for adults at earlier stages of their life as well.

Elderly
Improvement in satisfaction with life and self, self-esteem, increase in social involvement which led to a improvement in their ability to deal with social situations, lower loneliness and alienation (Fujiwara . Depressive symptoms, psychological symptoms, psychological well-being, ego-integrity, meaning of/purpose in life, mastery, cognitive performance, social integration, preparation for death all showed improvements after the therapy was concluded. At a follow up depression, other indicators of mental health, well-being, ego-integrity, cognitive performance, death preparation all remained to be improved from pre treatment.

Young and Middle-Aged Adults
Improvements comparable to those found in the elderly have been found in studies that included younger age brackets.

Gender
Improvements in depression occur in both female ( . Comparative analysis between males and females on the effects of reminiscence therapy found no evidence for a difference and males . Comparative analysis between males and females on the effects of reminiscence therapy found no evidence for a difference.

Residence
Reminiscence therapy has been conducted in groups composed of residents from group centres and those living in broader communities. Recent analysis suggests that no differences in outcomes from reminiscence exist between the type of community that the individuals are living in during the time of therapy. Which contradicts the earlier findings that those living in group homes or care centres benefitted less from these programs

Life events
Institutionalized elderly male veterans showed increased self-esteem and life satisfaction and a decrease in symptoms of depression who were involved in a 12 week reminiscence therapy program compared to those that were not. Those who experienced various major life changes showed improved mental stability including a decrease in depressive symptoms and anxiety

Future work
In the meta-analysis completed by Pinquart et al. 2012, areas that required continued research were identified. The effect of reminiscence should be examined further: •	In young or middle aged adults •	In those with “unresolved biographical conflicts” •	How it affects ego-integrity and death preparation •	The long term effects or duration of the outcomes

increase sample size of neuroimaging studies

Although life review is more structured, variability still exists in this therapy and more so in simple reminiscence. The lack of homogeneity in these studies could lead to differences in findings and perhaps confounding variables. The absence of differences seen among some of the factors that influence outcomes may be due to a lack of standardization of therapy design.

Some reviews of therapy have been done to evaluate the best method in which to conduct reminiscence therapy