Inside the black box: Modeling “Life Writing” for lifelong health and well being

We articulate the lifespan theory of change by which an attachment-focused integrative reminiscence intervention, “Life Writing”, is expected to interrupt the continuing problem of insecure attachment in adults and reverse associated reduced health and well-being outcomes. Based on preliminary studies and previous research, Life Writing is expected to foster earned-secure attachment in adults who work through subjective memories of unresolved attachment trauma. Roughly two decades of research on integrative reminiscence interventions like Life Writing show their consistent and wide-ranging positive impact. However, the bulk of this research demonstrates that such programs work, without also clarifying how they work, leaving unanswered questions as to how change occurs and how benefits might continue to accrue to participants through the lifespan. This represents what are known as “black box” effects. A program and evaluation planning tool, The Netway, was used to 1) identify hypothesized links between program inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes, and long-term impacts; 2) to clarify the underlying assumptions related to the program’s success; and 3) to consider the appropriate contexts for the program. The logic model presented here articulates the hypothesized causal pathway from insecure to earned-secure attachment, in preparation for rigorous empirical tests of the program’s lifespan theory of change.