Positive memory specificity reduces adolescent vulnerability to depression

Abstract

Depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide1. A known risk factor of depression is exposure to early life stress2. Such early stress exposure has been proposed to sensitise the maturing psychophysiological stress system to later life stress3. Activating positive memories dampens acute stress responses with resultant lower cortisol response and improved mood in humans4 and reduced depression-like behaviour in mice5. It is unknown whether recalling positive memories similarly reduces adolescent vulnerability to depression. Here we used path modelling to examine the effects of positive autobiographical memory specificity on later morning cortisol and negative self-cognitions during low mood in adolescents at risk for depression due to early life stress (n = 427, age: 14 years)6. We found that experimentally assessed positive but not negative memory specificity was associated with lower morning cortisol and less negative self-cognitions during low mood one year later. Moderated mediation analyses demonstrated that positive memory specificity reduced later depressive symptoms through lowering negative self-cognitions in response to negative life events reported in the one-year interval. Positive memory specificity actively dampened the negative effect of stressors over time, thereby operating as a resilience factor reducing the risk of subsequent depression7. These findings suggest that developing methods to improve positive memory specificity in at-risk adolescents may counteract vulnerability to depression.

Self-efficacy beliefs in managing positive emotions: Associations with positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction across gender and ages

“…With regards to the activation of positive memories, some studies have identified that positive memories dampen both the cortisol response in experimental stressful situation and morning cortisol level in adolescents exposed to early life stress (Speer and Delgado, 2017). In addition, positive memories have been associated with lower negative affect and self-cognition (Askelund et al, 2019). Furthermore, the experimental activation of positive memories was found to be associated with greater activity in brain regions previously related to the regulation of emotions, such as the bilateral ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) and corticostriatal regions associated with reward-processing (Speer and Delgado, 2017).…”

Positive memory intervention techniques: a scoping review

“…Importantly, research indicates beneficial effects of retrieving positive memories, such as greater positive affect and decreased negative affect (e.g., Joormann et al, 2007) and reduced post-trauma maladaptive cognitions (Askelund et al, 2019). Actually, this subsequently improved affect has other downstream consequences; positive emotions have an adaptive function and relate to several aspects of well-being, such as life satisfaction or adaptive responses to negative events (Waugh, 2020).…”

Factors Related to Positive Memory Count Among Trauma-Exposed Individuals: A Scoping Review

“…However, reduced memory specificity may have detrimental long-term effects including greater post-trauma severity (Hermans et al, 2004) and delayed post-trauma recovery Ehlers & Clark, 2000) by preventing the contextualization and integration of trauma memories with existing beliefs (Resick & Schnicke, 1993) and other memories (Conway & Pleydell-Pearce, 2000;Ehlers & Clark, 2000). Indeed, research indicates that greater positive memory specificity facilitates adaptive coping to stressors (Askelund et al, 2019). Alternatively, lower post-trauma symptom severity may relate to improved working memory and cognitive functioning, which in turn may improve positive memory retrieval (Barrett et al, 1996;Dalgleish et al, 2007;.…”