Overgeneral autobiographical memory predicts changes in depression in a community sample.
This study investigated whether overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGM) predicts the course of symptoms of depression and anxiety in a community sample, after 5, 6, 12 and 18 months. Participants (N=156) completed the Autobiographical Memory Test and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) at baseline and were subsequently reassessed using the DASS-21 at four time points over a period of 18 months. Using latent growth curve modelling, we found that OGM was associated with a linear increase in depression. We were unable to detect changes over time in anxiety. OGM may be an important marker to identify people at risk for depression in the future, but more research is needed with anxiety.
a Policy Research Centre Welfare Health and Family , KU Leuven , Leuven , Belgium.
Tom
T
Van Daele
James W
JW
Griffith
Omer
O
Van den Bergh
Dirk
D
Hermans
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D061212:Memory, Episodic; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D063189:Symptom Assessment; D055815:Young Adult
Anxiety; Autobiographical memory; Community sample; Depression; Latent growth curve modelling; Overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGM); Prediction