Reduced specificity of autobiographical memory: A mediator between rumination and ineffective social problem-solving in major depression?

Abstract

Background Depressed individuals display a deficit in effectively solving social problem situations (e.g., [ Marx, E.M., Williams, J.M.G., Claridge, G.C., 1992. Depression and social problem solving. J. Abnorm. Psychology 101, 78–86]). Recent research suggests that rumination may interfere with such effective problem-solving (e.g., [ Watkins, E., Baracaia, S., 2002. Rumination and social problem-solving in depression. Behav. Res. Ther. 40, 1179–1189]). However, little is known, as yet, about the mechanisms that are underlying this relation between rumination and poor problem-solving. The present study investigated the role of reduced specificity of autobiographicial memories as a mediator of this relationship. Methods 24 depressed patients (15 women) completed the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT), the Means–Ends Problem-Solving Task (MEPS), the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS) and the Rumination on Sadness Scale (RSS). Results Consistent with previous studies, rumination, ineffective problem-solving and reduced memory specificity were significantly associated. Regression analyses further extended these findings by showing that reduced memory specificity mediated the association between rumination and problem-solving effectiveness. Limitations The correlational nature of this study limits to some extent the conclusions that can be drawn on the directionality of the observed relationships. Conclusions Results offer support for the idea that lack of autobiographical memory specificity mediates the known relationship between rumination and poor problem-solving.