Effects of age, dysphoria, and emotion‐focusing on autobiographical memory specificity in children

Abstract

Overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGM) is strongly associated with depression in adults and appears to reflect a stable cognitive bias. However, it is not known whether this bias exists in children or what factors contribute to its development. We examined the roles of age, dysphoria, and a new variable, emotion‐focusing (EF), on the production of specific autobiographical memory (AM) in children, using the standard Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT; Williams & Broadbent, 1986). Results show that older children are more specific than younger children, irrespective of cue valence. Dysphoria was linked to less specific retrieval of positive memories in children. A three‐way interaction between age, valence, and dysphoria was also found, such that older dysphoric children demonstrated a difficulty in retrieving specific negative memories. In addition, emotion‐focusing was associated with specific AM recall, especially to negative cues. Results are discussed with reference to the development of depressogenic biases.

Notes

This research was supported by a Research Studentship awarded by Lyndsey Drummond by the University of St. Andrews. Tim Dalgleish is supported by the UK Medical Research Council.

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Notes on contributors

Lyndsey E. Drummond

This research was supported by a Research Studentship awarded by Lyndsey Drummond by the University of St. Andrews. Tim Dalgleish is supported by the UK Medical Research Council.