"Do you know how your parents met? Where your grandparents went to school? Your mother's first job? My friend (and travel agent!) Carol Shaddux came up with a fun way to use the Do You Know Scale, a 20-item questionnaire I developed with my colleague Marshall Duke to assess knowledge of family stories. Carol suggests writing out each of the 20 questions on a strip of paper and having each family member pick one and then either tell or ask to hear that story."
"As we have found in the Family Narratives Lab, family stories are important because adolescents and young adults who know more of their family history show higher self-esteem, fewer behavior problems, lesser depression and anxiety, and a higher sense of meaning and purpose in life. Knowing intergenerational family stories provides an anchor, a sense of belonging, and a way of understanding how the world works."
Family storytelling reflects and reinforces shared history and identity. A 20-item Do You Know Scale can prompt families to exchange specific stories by having members draw questions and tell or request those memories. Adolescents and young adults who know more family history exhibit higher self-esteem, fewer behavior problems, lower depression and anxiety, and greater meaning and purpose. Sharing stories provides an anchor, belonging, and a framework for interpreting the world. Older family members who relay stories report increased generativity, feeling they leave a legacy and mentor the next generation. Holiday gatherings such as Thanksgiving offer natural opportunities for such exchanges.
Read at Psychology Today
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