Date of Award
2009
Degree Name
Psychology
College
College of Liberal Arts
Type of Degree
Psy.D.
Document Type
Dissertation
First Advisor
Steven Mewaldt
Second Advisor
Thomas E. Ellis
Third Advisor
Paige Muellerleile
Abstract
Reduced autobiographical memory specificity and executive control have been associated with clinical depression; however, evidence is inconclusive as to whether these impairments represent trait-like qualities of individuals with clinical depression or are associated with changes in mood state. The present study employed a mood induction procedure and a digit-recall task derived to interfere with working memory to test the role of current mood and executive functioning in the autobiographical memory of nondepressed college students. Non-depressed subjects recalled significantly fewer specific memories on an autobiographical memory test following an induced, negative mood state and also with a concurrent digit-recall task. Thus, autobiographical memory specificity is related to current mood state and involves central executive processes which may be appropriate intervention targets.
Subject(s)
Autobiographical memory.
Memory disorders -- Congresses.
Recommended Citation
Rutherford, Billy J., "Autobiographical memory specificity, negative mood state, and executive control: implications for clinical depression" (2009). Theses, Dissertations and Capstones. 818.
https://mds.marshall.edu/etd/818
