Self-defining memories among persons with mental health, substance use, cognitive, and physical health conditions: a systematic review

ABSTRACT

Background

Self-defining memories (SDMs) are important for identifying one’s purpose in life, achieving goals, and overcoming challenging situations. Individual studies have demonstrated differences in the characteristics of SDMs between clinical and non-clinical populations. This systematic literature review aimed to summarise and compare SDM characteristics among those with mental, substance use, cognitive, neurodevelopmental, and physical health challenges.

Methods

Peer-reviewed English-language studies were included if they evaluated SDMs in these groups.

Results

Thirty-five studies (N = 3123) were included. SDM content across all clinical populations tended to focus on illness themes. SDMs were generally less specific and integrated in those with mental health or substance use disorders as compared to non-clinical populations. SDM specificity and integration findings were more mixed in those with cognitive, neurodevelopmental, and physical health challenges.

Conclusions

Specific differences emerged between groups of individuals which may be related to illness characteristics, recovery trajectory, and individual differences in the ability to understand and process difficult life events.

KEYWORDS:

• SDM
• autobiographical memory
• specificity
• integration
• content
• themes
• emotional valence

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

ACW and CC were supported by the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health to Center of Excellence for Psychosocial and Systemic Research at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Browne is funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Academic Affiliations Advanced Fellowship in Geriatrics. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the United States Government or Department of Veterans Affairs.