Emotional response to autobiographical memories in depression: less happiness to positive and more sadness to negative memories

Abstract

ABSTRACT Retrieving positive autobiographical memories effectively repairs mood in healthy individuals. This is not the case in individuals with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) possibly due to lower levels of positive emotions elicited by the positive memories. We examined whether the intensity of emotions experienced from recalling the happiest, saddest, and most anxious autobiographical memories differed between individuals with MDD (n = 30) and healthy controls (n = 46). Participants retrieved their happiest, saddest, and most anxious autobiographical memories and rated the emotional intensity experienced at the time of the event and at the time of recall. For all memory types, emotional intensity at the time of the event did not differ between MDD and CTL groups. However, the MDD (vs. CTL) group experienced less happiness recalling their happiest memories, more sadness recalling their saddest memories, and marginally more nervousness recalling their most anxious memories. The CTL group experienced more intense emotions when retrieving happiest (vs. saddest or most anxious) memories. Greater sadness when recalling their saddest memories and less happiness when recalling their happiest memories in the MDD (vs. CTL) group may hinder effective mood regulation and perpetuate negative mood.