Autobiographical memory and post-psychotic depression in first episode psychosis.
OBJECTIVE
In unipolar depression, the action of early life events has been shown to be linked to a deficit in accessing details of such autobiographical events ('overgeneral memory'). In this study, we test whether a similar deficit can be observed in post-psychotic depression (PPD) in first-episode psychosis.


METHODS
A group of 29 patients were followed up during the 12 months after their first onset, and monitored for PPD.


RESULTS
Of the sample group, 45% developed PPD, which was associated with overgeneral memory (p <.05; effect size = 1.05) and a heightened awareness of the diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings raise the possibility that anomalies of psychosocial development may confer vulnerability to depression in psychosis.
Iqbal
Zaffer
Z
School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, UK.
Birchwood
Max
M
Hemsley
David
D
Jackson
Chris
C
Morris
Emma
E
D001325:Autobiographies as Topic; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires