1 - (SYM 87) Prevalence and Impact of Symptom-relevant Autobiographical Memories in Patients with Emotional Disorders

Background: One possible factor contributing to the development and/or maintenance of emotional disorders is the dysfunctional retrieval of negative autobiographical memories that are relevant to patients’ mental health symptoms. Clearly, in the case of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), such memories play a central role in the etiology and maintenance of the disorder. Few studies, however, have examined the prevalence or impact of symptom-relevant autobiographical memories across anxiety and related emotional disorders.

Methods: Self-report data were collected from a treatment-seeking sample of patients with emotional disorders other than PTSD (n = 119; M(SD) age = 30.8(11.2); 71% female; race: 78% White, 8% Asian, 7% Black, 7% Multiracial/other). Patients reported on mental health symptoms, symptom-relevant autobiographical memories, and completed relevant items of the PTSD Checklist (PCL) in reference to their most bothersome memory. Diagnoses and treatment history information was extracted from charts.

Results: Primary diagnoses for the sample included: anxiety disorders (65%), mood disorders (14%), obsessive compulsive and related disorders (13%), other emotional disorders (8%). Eighty-one percent of patients reported symptom-relevant autobiographical memories that were thought about frequently (i.e., ³ 3 times in past 6m). Patients who reported memories had higher clinician-rated symptom severity for their primary diagnosis and self-reported total Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 scores relative to patients who had not endorsed memories (ps < .05). In reference to their most bothersome memory, clinically significant distress upon reminders, avoidance of internal or external reminders, and negative cognitions were common (47-50%); nightmares and flashbacks were endorsed by approximately 18% of the sample. Current distress upon recall of the memory was positively correlated with PCL, anxiety, and stress symptoms (ps < .05). Of the patients engaged in treatment (n = 53), less than half had spoken about their memory with their therapist.

Discussion: In this study we found that symptom-relevant autobiographical memories are common and associated with greater symptom severity in patients with emotional disorders. These memories were also associated with some of the symptoms typically seen in response to a PTSD Criterion A traumatic event. Most patients had not reported these memories to their therapists. Results will be discussed in the context of the growing literature on memory-focused treatments.