Self-Transcendence in Healthy Aging: A Narrative Analysis

Self-transcendence (intrapersonal, interpersonal, transpersonal self-expansion) is an important dimension of healthy aging. Grounded theory analysis of high- and low- self-transcenders' life stories revealed themes of closure, self-actualization, lifelong learning, interconnectedness, and spiritual pluralism. Themes were validated on new narratives, correlating highly with self-reported self-transcendence, well-being, generativity, and the Big Five.