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Recalling positive autobiographical memories is a powerful way to regulate emotion and repair low mood. However, depressed individuals often derive limited emotional benefit from such positive recollection. To identify the conditions under which positive memory recall is emotionally beneficial, we investigated whether memories perceived as discrepant from one’s current sense of self have a differential impact on low mood compared to memories perceived as concordant with the current self. Depressed participants (n= 39) recalled either a self-concordant or self-discrepant positive memory to alleviate sad mood and reported reduced sadness only when the memory was concordant with, but not discrepant from, their current sense of self. In contrast, never-depressed participants (n= 40) experienced mood improvement regardless of the type of memory recalled. These results suggest that the degree to which depressed individuals can identify with the self from a past positive event is an important determinate of the emotional consequences that follow.

Across two studies we investigated the influence of contextual cues on autobiographical memory recall. In Study 1, participants (N= 37) with major depressive disorder, in episode or in varying degrees of remission, were administered a Negative Autobiographical Memory Task (NAMT) that required them to retrieve negativelyvalenced memories in response to positivecue words (a positive context). We reasoned that increased depression symptom severity would be associated with a reduced ability to override priming from this disadvantageous context. Consequently, we hypothesized that increased depressive severity would counterintuitively be associated with reducednegativity ratings for retrieved personal memories to positive cues on the NAMT. This hypothesis was supported. Study 2, using a community sample (N= 63), demonstrated that a similar reduction in memory negativity was observed in individuals with lower working memory capacity—an index of executive control. Implications for autobiographical memory and executive training paradigms for depression are discussed.

The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of memory specificity training (MEST) on autobiographical memory recall and depression. Afghan adolescents with depression were randomly assigned to a MEST group or to a control group. At baseline, both groups completed Persian versions of the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT) and the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ). The MEST group then had five weekly group sessions of MEST. The control group had no additional contact. The AMT and MFQ were then readministered to all participants, and the MFQ was readministered at 2-month follow-up. The MEST group retrieved a higher proportion of specific memories following training and had lower levels of depression at 2-month follow-up than did the control group. Change in memory specificity predicted follow-up depression over and above baseline depression and mediated the relationship between receipt of MEST and reduction in later depression. The results suggest that MEST can improve autobiographical memory performance and drive subsequent reduction in depression symptoms.