Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Department
Psychology
Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
This thesis explores narrative life review and poetry writing with older individuals, as an alternative to support their successful aging. Four females, ages 66-93, participated in a two-part project. Phase I included: (a) completing a narrative life review, and (b) developing original poetry with the researcher. Phase II included: (a) poetry reflection and (b) completing an open-ended evaluation. Phase 1 results demonstrated four successful narrative life reviews, which composed the poetry-writing sessions. Phase II demonstrated that three out of four participants reported no significant positive influences in the evaluation. Implications suggest social well-being replicated study can possibly assess social well-being by including shorter intervals between phases, weekly social interaction with participants, and random selection of demographics, representative samples, and certified scales to screen for well-being. In a group setting, social engagement may enhance narrative reflections and poetry writing.
Advisor(s) or Committee Chair
Dr. Dana Bradley
Disciplines
Creative Writing | Psychology
Recommended Citation
Black, Cherita M., "Narrative Life Review and Poetry-Writing with Older Adults" (2014). Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects. Paper 518.
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/stu_hon_theses/518