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Recall bias during adolescence: Gender differences and associations with depressive symptoms.
- Source :
-
Journal of Affective Disorders . Mar2021, Vol. 282, p299-307. 9p. - Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- <bold>Background: </bold>There is a sharp increase in depression in females in mid-adolescence, but we do not understand why. Cognitive theories suggest that people with depression have negative biases in recalling self-referential information. We tested whether recall biases were more negative in girls in early and mid-adolescence and were associated with depressive symptoms.<bold>Methods: </bold>315 young and 263 mid-adolescents (11-12 and 13-15 years) completed a surprise test, assessing recall of social evaluation about the self (self-referential) or another person (other-referential). The short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire measured depressive symptoms. We tested the effects of condition (self-referential/other-referential), valence (positive/negative), gender, and age group on correct recall (hits) and associations with depressive symptoms.<bold>Results: </bold>There was no evidence for gender or age differences in positive or negative self-referential recall. Self-referential positive hits were negatively associated with depressive symptoms (adjusted coefficient=-0.38, 95% CI=-0.69-0.08, p=0.01). Self-referential negative hits were positively associated with depressive symptoms (adjusted coefficient=0.45, 95% CI=0.15-0.75, p=0.003), and this association was stronger in females (adjusted interaction p=0.04).<bold>Limitations: </bold>The reliability and validity of the recall task are unknown. We cannot provide evidence of a causal effect of recall on depressive symptoms in this cross-sectional study.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Adolescents who recalled more self-referential negative and fewer self-referential positive words had more severe depressive symptoms. Females did not demonstrate more recall biases, but the association between self-referential negative hits and depressive symptoms was stronger in females. Negative self-referential recall may be a risk factor for depressive symptoms and is a good candidate for longitudinal studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *MEMORY bias
*MENTAL depression
*AGE differences
*GENDER
*ADOLESCENCE
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 01650327
- Volume :
- 282
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Affective Disorders
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 148728733
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.12.133