Differential correlates of autobiographical memory specificity to affective and self-discrepant cues

TY - JOUR

T1 - Differential correlates of autobiographical memory specificity to affective and self-discrepant cues

AU - Wessel, Ineke

AU - Postma, Ineke R.

AU - Huntjens, Rafaële J C

AU - Crane, Catherine

AU - Smets, Jorien

AU - Zeeman, Gerda G.

AU - Barnhofer, Thorsten

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - According to the CaRFAX model (Williams et al., 2007), several processes may result in overgeneral autobiographical memory. The present study examined whether the type of cue used in the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT) is important for illuminating relationships between autobiographical memory specificity and variables pertinent to the Functional Avoidance (FA) and Capture and Rumination (CaR) aspects of the model. Sixty-one women varying in their experience of a potentially traumatic event and previous depression completed two versions of the AMT: one containing affective cues and the other containing cues representing idiosyncratic self-discrepancies. Consistent with the FA hypothesis, avoidance of the potentially traumatic event was associated with fewer specific memories on the affective, but not the self-discrepant AMT. Furthermore, in line with the CaR hypothesis, performance on the self-discrepant, but not the affective AMT was related to ruminative self-reflection in women reporting previous depression, even after controlling for current depression and education levels. Together the results suggest that varying cue type may increase the sensitivity of the AMT, depending on the aspect of the CaRFAX model of overgeneral memory that is to be addressed.

AB - According to the CaRFAX model (Williams et al., 2007), several processes may result in overgeneral autobiographical memory. The present study examined whether the type of cue used in the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT) is important for illuminating relationships between autobiographical memory specificity and variables pertinent to the Functional Avoidance (FA) and Capture and Rumination (CaR) aspects of the model. Sixty-one women varying in their experience of a potentially traumatic event and previous depression completed two versions of the AMT: one containing affective cues and the other containing cues representing idiosyncratic self-discrepancies. Consistent with the FA hypothesis, avoidance of the potentially traumatic event was associated with fewer specific memories on the affective, but not the self-discrepant AMT. Furthermore, in line with the CaR hypothesis, performance on the self-discrepant, but not the affective AMT was related to ruminative self-reflection in women reporting previous depression, even after controlling for current depression and education levels. Together the results suggest that varying cue type may increase the sensitivity of the AMT, depending on the aspect of the CaRFAX model of overgeneral memory that is to be addressed.

KW - Autobiographical memory specificity

KW - Avoidance

KW - CaRFAX model

KW - Centrality of Event Scale

KW - Reflective rumination

KW - Self-discrepancies

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84898547109&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/09658211.2013.811255

DO - 10.1080/09658211.2013.811255

M3 - Article

C2 - 23889508

AN - SCOPUS:84898547109

SN - 0965-8211

VL - 22

SP - 655

EP - 668

JO - Memory

JF - Memory

IS - 6

ER -