Autobiographical thinking pertains to thoughts related to the self. This field highlights autobiographical memories (AM) which are an essential part of supporting and developing personal identity throughout one’s lifetime. Previous research on AM has yielded mixed results, particularly in regards to the effects of age on the contextual quality of older adults’ autobiographical recollections. This prompts the question as to whether there may still be misunderstandings about age-related shifts in cognition. This study examines phenomenological characteristics (e.g., valence, episodic specificity, focus on self or others, arousal) of autobiographical thoughts and memories using an experience sampling app called MindWindow. Across two weeks, approximately 3,000 participants (ages 18-89) received daily MindWindow notifications prompting them to complete a questionnaire on a number of thought characteristics and provide text descriptions of their ongoing thoughts. Repeated measures of thought characteristics were averaged and compared between age groups. Text descriptions were then analyzed using the computerized text analysis program LIWC to address the validity of the self reported data. Initial analyses revealed an expected age effect on valence (e.g., positivity bias) as well as findings that diverge from typical patterns, particularly in relation to episodic specificity. Interpretations and future possibilities of these outcomes are discussed.

By age 65, nearly 40% of women and 13% of men in America have been widowed, making bereavement a significant event in older adulthood. Recently, severe grief symptoms have been recognized with the inclusion of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) to the DSM-5-TR. Additionally, bereaved older adults are at risk for loneliness and depression. This scoping review points out gaps in the literature about bereavement in older adulthood and the relationship between loneliness, grief, and depression. For this review, articles were sourced from Pubmed, PsycInfo, and Ebscohost using the following search terms: older adult, grief, bereavement, loneliness, isolation, depression, and late-life depression. Specifically, searches were limited to those published since 2020, to understand the experiences of older adults during the COVID pandemic. After excluding articles not meeting criteria, we reviewed the relevant findings from 32 articles. The emerging findings suggest that while PGD only occurs in a minority of bereaved individuals, older adults who feel lonely are at a higher risk for the disorder. While loneliness is common in both PGD and depression, it was found to be more prominent in PGD and may prompt the onset of other depressive symptoms in bereaved individuals. Studies suggest feeling lonely after bereavement may be a path to increasing both PGD or depression, or their overlap. This highlights PGD as a complex mental disorder separate from MDD. The identification of this relationship paves the direction for future research on grief and for the development of interventions that protect older adults against loneliness.

Relationship satisfaction includes commitment, intimacy, and passion (Józefacka et al., 2023), and is influenced by depressive symptoms (Joosten et al., 2022). Current research seeks to identify the impact that depression and rumination have on perceived relationship satisfaction. Cognitive models of depression highlight that depressed individuals experience difficulties in cognitive functioning such as cognitive control and interpretation biases. Cognitive control dysfunction involves the inability to shift attention away from negative stimuli (i.e., rumination), while interpretation biases refer to a depressed individual's tendency to perceive stimuli negatively (Villalobos et al., 2021). These deficits contribute to the maintenance of depressive symptoms, and also impact relationship satisfaction. Most research has focused on the impact these symptoms have on the individual, but there needs to be more research from the perspective of the relationship. The current research seeks to address this gap in literature by examining the dyadic relationship between one’s own depression and rumination and not only the impact it has on themselves, but the impact on their partner’s perceived relationship satisfaction as well. We studied cohabiting couples, measuring depression, rumination, and relationship satisfaction at baseline and over a week through daily diary entries. Preliminary correlation analyses show a relationship between depression and rumination as well as depression and relationship satisfaction. Further analyses using regression and the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM; Kenny, Kashy, & Cook, 2006) will examine bidirectional effects within couples. Examining depression and rumination dyadically provides a deeper understanding of relationship satisfaction issues, enabling more effective mitigation of their impact.

The purpose of this research is to examine how racism and stigma may affect the willingness of Veterans of Color (VOC) to seek mental health services. Recent studies have revealed that VOC face mental health disparities, which can significantly impact conditions such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study will utilize a phenomenological approach to gain insight into the personal experiences of VOC to understand how mental health stigma may connect to racism. Participants, who are Veterans who identified within the Black, Indigenous, and Person of Color (BIPOC) community, will be drawn from a study on the Race-Based Stress Trauma and Empowerment (RBSTE) group intervention. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach will be used to analyze individual semi-structured interviews. The expected outcome of this study is to develop knowledge to foster the creation of strategies to facilitate VOC seeking mental health services. By understanding and addressing the unique challenges faced by VOC, the study hopes to foster greater empathy and reduce health disparities within this community. This research is critical for developing targeted interventions that acknowledge and address the specific needs of Veterans of Color in the healthcare system.