Reductions in Specific First Memories in Depression: Influences of Distraction, Referential Set and Cue Word Valence on First Memory Retrieval

This study examined the association between depression and autobiographical memory deficits. Sp e cifically, it evaluate d the impact of depression, complexity of a distraction task, self - or other - referential set and positive or negative cue - word valence on the retrieval of specific autobiographical memories . A sample of 24 depressed women and 24 matched controls completed the Autobiographical Memory T ask (AMT) before and after either a high - or low - complexity distraction task. Compared with the control group, the depressed group retrieved fewer specific first memories and had longer retrieval latencies for these. In the self - referential condition this pattern was more pronounced than in the other - referential condition. This suggests that depression is associated with a particular vulnerability in recalling specific self - referential memories. Distraction task complexity and cue - word valence did not affect AMT performance.