Differential effects of personal and historical events in AI life history-based reminiscence therapy for older adults with neurodegenerative diseases

Background:

Reminiscence therapy is a widely used non-pharmacological approach for improving emotional well-being in older adults, particularly those with neurodegenerative diseases. While both autobiographical and collective memories can be therapeutic, little is known about how different types of events influence emotional responsiveness and depressive symptoms. This study explores whether personally meaningful life events or culturally shared historical events produce greater therapeutic benefits when delivered through AI life history-based reminiscence therapy.

Methods:

A crossover intervention was conducted with 12 older adults diagnosed with mild neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease). Participants completed four reminiscence sessions over two weeks: two based on personal life events (e.g., marriage, birth of a child) and two on historical events (e.g., Seoul Oylmpic Games, 1997 IMF). Each session utilized a customized AI life history featuring narrative prompts and visual storytelling. Emotional responsiveness was assessed using the Korean version of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (K-PANAS, Lee, kim & Lee, 2003). Depression levels were measured before and after the intervention using the Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form-Korea version (GDSSF-K, Ki, 1996). Verbal output was analyzed using mean length of utterance(MLU) (in morphemes).

Results:

Preliminary findings indicate that personal event-based sessions elicited stronger emotional reactions, longer MLU, and greater reductions in depression scores than historical event sessions.

Conclusion:

Personal memories appear to have a stronger emotional and verbal impact than shared historical events in reminiscence therapy for older adults with cognitive decline. These findings suggest the value of personalized content in maximizing therapeutic outcomes and provide a framework for integrating such approaches into digital or AI-supported reminiscence tools for elderly.

Jungwan Kim, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology at Daegu University, South Korea. She directs the Neurogenic Communication Disorders Lab, focusing on cognitive-communication rehabilitation in stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and neurodegenerative disorders. Her research interests include digital health, mobile-based screening tools, and AI-driven interventions for language and cognitive impairments. She has developed and validated novel assessments such as STAND, D-ASLAN, integrating them into community health care systems. Dr. Kim actively publishes internationally and collaborates on projects bridging clinical practice, technology, and aging communication research.