Subjective memory complaints in young people: the role of resilience

Abstract

Objective

Little is known about the origin and associated factors of subjective memory complaints (SMCs) in the young population, although they might be closely related to the psychophysiological states produced by stress exposure, such as anxiety and depression. In this regard, resilience has been related to a reduction in these negative states, as well as to more adaptive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning. We aimed to investigate the importance of depression, anxiety, and HPA axis activity in SMCs in the young population. We also analysed the relationship between resilience and SMCs through the mediation of depression, anxiety, and the cortisol awakening response (CAR).

Design

To do so, we measured SMCs, depression and anxiety states, resilience, and the CAR in 77 healthy young people.

Results

Both depression and anxiety were associated with SMCs. In addition, greater resilience was related to fewer SMCs through depression and anxiety. However, the CAR was not related to SMCs, and it did not mediate the relationship between resilience and SMCs.

Conclusion

These results suggest that negative affective states have greater importance in SMCs than HPA functioning in this age group, and they also highlight the importance of resilience in the psychological adjustment to stressful situations.

Keywords:

• Subjective memory complaints
• cortisol
• depression
• anxiety
• resilience
• young people

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Spanish Science, Innovation and Universities Ministry (FPU17/03428; PSI2016-78763; PID2020-119406GBI00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033), by grant BES-2017-082148 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by “ESF Investing in your future”. Moreover, the contribution of V. Hidalgo has been supported by the Government of Aragon (Department of Innovation, Research and University) for the research group S31_20D, and the Spanish Universities Ministry and European Union (European Union Next Generation EU, grant for the requalification of the Spanish University System). These grants did not influence the study design, the collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data, the writing of the report, or the decision to submit the paper for publication

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