Coherence Connects: On the Social Function of Coherent Autobiographical Memories

We all have stories to tell. Numerous individual differences in the narration of autobiographical memories, or our past personal experiences, have been reported. One of those concerns narrative coherence, or the extent to which a narrative is able to convey the content and meaning of the events in a structurally and thematically cohesive manner. Narrative coherence is thought to be reflective of individuals’ mental health. However, results are not always consistent and prior research on mechanisms that may explain the relation between coherence and mental health is limited. Therefore, in this dissertation, coherence is investigated not only in relation to mental health, but also in relation to one possible underlying mechanism in particular, being social support. It has been suggested that the autobiographical memory serves a crucial social function, which concerns the development and enhancement of supportive relationships through the social sharing of memories. In our working model, the relation between narrative coherence and mental health is hypothesized to be mediated by social support. This hypothesized model forms the broad framework for this dissertation and is investigated, along with related research questions, using different research methods and designs, ranging from cross-sectional and longitudinal to experimental studies. 
       In Part 1, Chapter 1 shows how the reconciliation of phenomenological and functional perspectives on autobiographical memory research may serve us better in the quest to understand relations between narrative coherence and mental health. 
       In Part 2, Chapter 2 investigates narrative coherence in its concurrent and prospective relations to mental health, as well as the mediation via social support. In Chapter 3, a similar design is used, however, the outcomes of social support and mental health are measured during a period of heightened stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
       In Part 3, Chapter 4 and 5 investigate the (multidimensional) impact of narrative coherence on social responses in a core set of experimental studies. In Chapter 6, a research design for a behavioural version of the studies of Chapter 4 and 5 is proposed. 
       In Part 4, relations are investigated in the opposite direction of the studies described in Part 2 and 3. In Chapter 7, we investigate the effect of social support after a stressful event on narrative coherence and mental health in an experimental study. In Chapter 8, we investigate if trait and state social anxiety can affect narrative coherence in a (quasi-)experimental study. 
       In Part 5, we elaborate on technical, methodological and theoretical considerations regarding narrative coherence as a construct. In Chapter 9, oral and written modalities of narrative coherence are compared against each other as well as how they relate to outcomes of mental health and social support. In Chapter 10, we do an in-depth analysis of the constituting subcomponents of coherence and their relation to mental health. In Chapter 11, an alternative functional-contextualistic perspective on autobiographical memory in the study of psychopathology is elaborated upon.
       Finally, the general discussion offers an integration of the previous chapters. Results obtained throughout this dissertation are interpreted in the state-of-the-art literature, clinical and theoretical implications are discussed and a roadmap for future research is presented.