Reduced specificity of autobiographical memory: a mediator between rumination and ineffective social problem-solving in major depression?

BACKGROUND

Depressed individuals display a deficit in effectively solving social problem situations (e.g., []). Recent research suggests that rumination may interfere with such effective problem-solving (e.g., []). However, little is known, as yet, about the mechanisms that are underlying this relation between rumination and poor problem-solving. The present study investigated the role of reduced specificity of autobiographical memories as a mediator of this relationship.

METHODS

24 depressed patients (15 women) completed the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT), the Means-Ends Problem-Solving Task (MEPS), the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS) and the Rumination on Sadness Scale (RSS).

RESULTS

Consistent with previous studies, rumination, ineffective problem-solving and reduced memory specificity were significantly associated. Regression analyses further extended these findings by showing that reduced memory specificity mediated the association between rumination and problem-solving effectiveness.

LIMITATIONS

The correlational nature of this study limits to some extent the conclusions that can be drawn on the directionality of the observed relationships.

CONCLUSIONS

Results offer support for the idea that lack of autobiographical memory specificity mediates the known relationship between rumination and poor problem-solving.