Narrative Identity Processing of Difficult Life Experiences: Pathways of Personality Development and Positive Self‐Transformation in Adulthood

Pals, Jennifer L.

doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.2006.00403.x

Cited by 515Identity, Memory, and TherapyPersonality Traits and PsychologyResilience and Mental Health

Narrative Identity Processing of Difficult Life Experiences: Pathways of Personality Development and Positive Self‐Transformation in Adulthood

Pals, Jennifer L.·2006·Journal of Personality

DOI 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2006.00403.x

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Abstract

Difficult life experiences in adulthood constitute a challenge to the narrative construction of identity. Individual differences in how adults respond to this challenge were conceptualized in terms of two dimensions of narrative identity processing: exploratory narrative processing and coherent positive resolution. These dimensions, coded from narratives of difficult experiences reported by the women of the Mills Longitudinal Study (Helson, 1967) at age 52, were expected to be related to personality traits and to have implications for pathways of personality development and physical health. First, the exploratory narrative processing of difficult experiences mediated the relationship between the trait of coping openness in young adulthood (age 21) and the outcome of maturity in late midlife (age 61). Second, coherent positive resolution predicted increasing ego-resiliency between young adulthood and midlife (age 52), and this pattern of increasing ego-resiliency, in turn, mediated the relationship between coherent positive resolution and life satisfaction in late midlife. Finally, the integration of exploratory narrative processing and coherent positive resolution predicted positive self-transformation within narratives of difficult experiences. In turn, positive self-transformation uniquely predicted optimal development (composite of maturity and life satisfaction) and physical health.

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When it comes to narrative identity, the unexamined life lacks depth and meaning.
“When it comes to narrative identity , Pals suggested, the unexamined life lacks depth and meaning.”
From The Problem of Meaning in Personality Psychology from the Standpoints of Dispositional Traits, Characteristic Adaptations, and Life Stories (2010) · cites this paper as Pals, 2006
Coherent positive resolutions of difficult life events at age 51 predicted life satisfaction at age 61 and were associated with increasing ego resiliency between young adulthood and midlife.
“In her analysis of longitudinal data from the Mills study , Pals (2006) found that coherent positive resolutions of difficult life events at age 51 predicted life satisfaction at age 61 and were associated with increasing ego resiliency between young adulthood and midlife.”
From The Problem of Meaning in Personality Psychology from the Standpoints of Dispositional Traits, Characteristic Adaptations, and Life Stories (2010) · cites this paper as Pals, 2006
Making sense out of negative events in one's life ideally involves a second step in which the narrator articulates and commits the self to a positive resolution of the event.
“In the second step, the narrator articulates and commits the self to a positive resolution of the event.”
From The Problem of Meaning in Personality Psychology from the Standpoints of Dispositional Traits, Characteristic Adaptations, and Life Stories (2010) · cites this paper as Pals, 2006

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Authors: Pals, J. L.
Affiliations: Northwestern University (US)
Corresponding author: Pals, Jennifer L.
Venue: Journal of Personality
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2006-05-02
Volume: 74
Issue: 4
Pages: 1079-1110
ISSN: 0022-3506 (ISSN-L)
1467-6494
DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2006.00403.x
OpenAlex: W2002490795
Cited by: 515
References: 58
Citations by year: 2026: 26 · 2025: 27 · 2024: 38 · 2023: 28 · 2022: 27 · 2021: 41 · 2020: 49 · 2019: 30 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 34 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 28 · 2012: 23
FWCI: 20.40
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations: Journal of Personality (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: National Institute of Mental Health (MH 43948, R01MH043948)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Resilience and Mental Health
Keywords: narrative identity, personality development, ego-resilience, life satisfaction, maturity, physical health, women
MeSH terms: Adult, Affect, Cognition, Female, Health Status, Humans, Life Change Events, Middle Aged, Personality Development, Surveys and Questionnaires, Self Concept, Social Identification, Narration

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Narrative Identity Processing of Difficult Life Experiences: Pathways of Personality Development and Positive Self‐Transformation in Adulthood

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