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Assessing the specificity of autobiographical memory in individuals at a trait-based vulnerability to bipolar disorder using a sentence completion task

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Assessing the specificity of autobiographical memory in individuals at a trait-based vulnerability to bipolar disorder using a sentence completion task. / Dempsey, Robert; Gooding, Patricia; Jones, Steven.
In: Memory, Vol. 22, No. 3, 2014, p. 222-231.

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@article{31e6d6267f5e4707a11c71c440a1cb23,
title = "Assessing the specificity of autobiographical memory in individuals at a trait-based vulnerability to bipolar disorder using a sentence completion task",
abstract = "Overgeneral autobiographical memory recall has been associated with the diagnosis of bipolar disorder, but the role of overgenerality in the vulnerability to bipolar disorder remains under-researched. While a previous study suggested that high-risk individuals for bipolar disorder recall emotionally negative memories in specific detail, this is in contrast to memory recall patterns noted in bipolar samples. The Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT) used in previous non-clinical studies has also been criticised for not being sensitive to overgenerality due to its repetition of specificity instructions and practice trials. The traditional AMT format may allow some individuals to override their trait-based tendencies to be overgeneral. The current study used a sentence completion task to assess memory specificity in groups of students at a low and high trait-based vulnerability for bipolar disorder. In contrast to previous research, high-risk individuals recalled fewer specific positive memories and greater numbers of overgeneral negative memories than low-risk individuals. These results support the notion that the vulnerability for bipolar disorder might be associated with similar recall biases as demonstrated in bipolar samples, and that the AMT might not be sufficiently sensitive to detect overgenerality in non-clinical groups. The implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.",
keywords = "Adult, Affect, Analysis of Variance, Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Emotions, Female, Humans, Male, Memory, Episodic, Neuropsychological Tests, Personality Tests, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Psychomotor Performance, Risk, Young Adult",
author = "Robert Dempsey and Patricia Gooding and Steven Jones",
year = "2014",
doi = "10.1080/09658211.2013.778289",
language = "English",
volume = "22",
pages = "222--231",
journal = "Memory",
issn = "0965-8211",
publisher = "Psychology Press",
number = "3",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Assessing the specificity of autobiographical memory in individuals at a trait-based vulnerability to bipolar disorder using a sentence completion task

AU - Dempsey, Robert

AU - Gooding, Patricia

AU - Jones, Steven

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - Overgeneral autobiographical memory recall has been associated with the diagnosis of bipolar disorder, but the role of overgenerality in the vulnerability to bipolar disorder remains under-researched. While a previous study suggested that high-risk individuals for bipolar disorder recall emotionally negative memories in specific detail, this is in contrast to memory recall patterns noted in bipolar samples. The Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT) used in previous non-clinical studies has also been criticised for not being sensitive to overgenerality due to its repetition of specificity instructions and practice trials. The traditional AMT format may allow some individuals to override their trait-based tendencies to be overgeneral. The current study used a sentence completion task to assess memory specificity in groups of students at a low and high trait-based vulnerability for bipolar disorder. In contrast to previous research, high-risk individuals recalled fewer specific positive memories and greater numbers of overgeneral negative memories than low-risk individuals. These results support the notion that the vulnerability for bipolar disorder might be associated with similar recall biases as demonstrated in bipolar samples, and that the AMT might not be sufficiently sensitive to detect overgenerality in non-clinical groups. The implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.

AB - Overgeneral autobiographical memory recall has been associated with the diagnosis of bipolar disorder, but the role of overgenerality in the vulnerability to bipolar disorder remains under-researched. While a previous study suggested that high-risk individuals for bipolar disorder recall emotionally negative memories in specific detail, this is in contrast to memory recall patterns noted in bipolar samples. The Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT) used in previous non-clinical studies has also been criticised for not being sensitive to overgenerality due to its repetition of specificity instructions and practice trials. The traditional AMT format may allow some individuals to override their trait-based tendencies to be overgeneral. The current study used a sentence completion task to assess memory specificity in groups of students at a low and high trait-based vulnerability for bipolar disorder. In contrast to previous research, high-risk individuals recalled fewer specific positive memories and greater numbers of overgeneral negative memories than low-risk individuals. These results support the notion that the vulnerability for bipolar disorder might be associated with similar recall biases as demonstrated in bipolar samples, and that the AMT might not be sufficiently sensitive to detect overgenerality in non-clinical groups. The implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.

KW - Adult

KW - Affect

KW - Analysis of Variance

KW - Bipolar Disorder

KW - Depression

KW - Emotions

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Memory, Episodic

KW - Neuropsychological Tests

KW - Personality Tests

KW - Psychiatric Status Rating Scales

KW - Psychomotor Performance

KW - Risk

KW - Young Adult

U2 - 10.1080/09658211.2013.778289

DO - 10.1080/09658211.2013.778289

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 23537105

VL - 22

SP - 222

EP - 231

JO - Memory

JF - Memory

SN - 0965-8211

IS - 3

ER -