Abstract
ObjectivesDepression is associated with both emotion dysregulation upon retrieval of autobiographical memories and low trait mindfulness. The present study raised the question of whether these processes are related to each other and whether they may reflect a cognitive-affective vulnerability in individuals at risk of depression. The study examined emotion regulation in response to involuntary and voluntary autobiographical memories during depression remission and explored how trait mindfulness relates to such emotion regulation.MethodsThe study employed a naturalistic design in which individuals with remitted depression (n = 35) and individuals with no history of depression (n = 32) completed a trait mindfulness measure and a structured memory diary where they rated state use of five emotion regulation strategies upon involuntary and voluntary autobiographical memory retrieval.ResultsIndividuals with remitted depression reported heightened brooding in response to autobiographical memories when memory retrieval occurred involuntarily, and trait mindfulness was low. Depression remission and higher trait mindfulness were independently associated with greater cognitive reappraisal efforts upon involuntary retrieval of autobiographical memories. Higher trait mindfulness predicted less memory suppression, irrespective of depression history and memory retrieval mode.ConclusionsThe findings suggest a vulnerability in emotional processing of autobiographical memories during depression remission that is dependent on mindfulness skill level and how memories come to mind.
Highlights
The questions assessing employment of emotion regulation upon memory retrieval were the same as employed by del Palacio-Gonzalez et al (2017) in their memory diary study. These were in turn based on items from the Emotion Regulation Questionnnaire (ERQ), the White Bear Suppression Inventory (WBSI), and the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS), : I changed the way I was thinking about the situation; I analysed the events to try to understand my feelings; I thought: Why do I always react this way?; I tried not to keep thinking about it; and I controlled my emotion by not expressing it
We examined the hypotheses concerning the relationship between trait mindfulness and emotion regulation upon memory retrieval employing multilevel modelling (MLM)
We found that the relationship between depression remission and emotion regulation upon memory retrieval was moderated by memory retrieval mode in predicting the use of brooding and cognitive reappraisal
Summary
The study employed a naturalistic design in which individuals with remitted depression (n = 35) and individuals with no history of depression (n = 32) completed a trait mindfulness measure and a structured memory diary where they rated state use of five emotion regulation strategies upon involuntary and voluntary autobiographical memory retrieval
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