scholarly journals Depressive rumination reduces specificity of autobiographical memory recall in acquired brain injury

2007 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.L. BESSELL ◽  
E.R. WATKINS ◽  
W.H. WILLIAMS
Keyword(s):  
Brain Injury ◽  
Autobiographical Memory ◽  
Brain Injuries ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
First Year ◽  
Memory Recall ◽  
Overgeneral Memory ◽  
Depressive Rumination ◽  
Brain Injured ◽  
Autobiographical Recall

Individuals with acquired brain injuries (ABI) often experience depression following injury, with estimated rates between 20 and 40% within the first year and up to 50% thereafter (Fleminger et al., 2003). Previous studies with non–brain-injured individuals have identified that rumination is prevalent in both the development and maintenance of depression. The study aimed to explore how depressive rumination may contribute to overgeneral memory recall in ABI patients, by assessing the effects of manipulating ruminative self-focus on autobiographical memory performance across levels of brain injury. Fifty-eight ABI individuals with mild (28) to moderate/severe (30) cognitive impairments were assessed on measures of mood, rumination and autobiographical memory. They were then randomly assigned into matched groups for an intervention (a distraction) or a rumination task. Following intervention, they were re-assessed for autobiographical recall and rumination. Findings indicate that ruminative self-focus reduced specificity of autobiographical memory in individuals with ABI, suggesting that depressive rumination plays a role in the reduced access to autobiographical memories. Higher baseline levels of depression and rumination were also associated with less specificity in recall. These findings indicate the value of identifying and treating depression among this population. (JINS, 2008,14, 63–70.)

scholarly journals The Expanding Role of Quantitative Pupillometry in the Evaluation and Management of Traumatic Brain Injury

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason H. Boulter ◽  
Margaret M. Shields ◽  
Melissa R. Meister ◽  
Gregory Murtha ◽  
Brian P. Curry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injuries ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Brain Injured ◽  
The World ◽  
Injured Patients ◽  
Austere Environments ◽  
Active Investigation

Traumatic brain injury is a rapidly increasing source of morbidity and mortality across the world. As such, the evaluation and management of traumatic brain injuries ranging from mild to severe are under active investigation. Over the last two decades, quantitative pupillometry has been increasingly found to be useful in both the immediate evaluation and ongoing management of traumatic brain injured patients. Given these findings and the portability and ease of use of modern pupillometers, further adoption and deployment of quantitative pupillometers into the preclinical and hospital settings of both resource rich and medically austere environments.

Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: Some Effects on Family Caregivers

2002 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 415-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory J. Boyle ◽  
Sandra Haines
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Family Member ◽  
Family Environment ◽  
Severe Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injuries ◽  
Comparison Group ◽  
Brain Injured ◽  
The Family ◽  
Time And Energy

This study assesses the effects of severe traumatic brain injuries on family members and functioning—a topic of interest for those working with survivors and their families. This issue is receiving increased attention as recent findings suggest that family adjustment influences outcome for brain-injured persons. The Family Environment Scale and the Profile of Mood States were completed by 25 individuals who had a family member with a severe traumatic brain injury. These scales were also completed by a comparison group of 32 individuals who had no brain-injured family member. In terms of family functioning, the findings suggest that, when a family member suffers a severe traumatic brain injury, depression may be elevated, along with a decreased ability to express feelings, decreased time and energy for social and recreational activities, and increased control in comparison to families without a brain-injured member. While this might contribute to family isolation which could last for many years, the overall finding of the present study was that caregiver families were coping adequately.

scholarly journals Self-defining Memories (Their Affect, Structure, Meaning, and Content) in Relation to Temperament, Trait Domains, and Psychological Adjustment

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavel S. Blagov ◽  
Jefferson A. Singer ◽  
Kathryn M. Oost ◽  
Joshua A. Goodman
Keyword(s):  
Autobiographical Memory ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Five Factor Model ◽  
Executive Dysfunction ◽  
Overgeneral Memory ◽  
Personality Functioning ◽  
Trait Theory ◽  
Autobiographical Recall ◽  
Integrative Processing ◽  
Healthy Personality

We partly replicated and significantly extended research linking four features of self-defining memories (SDMs) – affect, structure, meaning, and content – to personality and adjustment. By linking SDM features to temperament, the five-factor model domains, and psychopathology models (and the Big Three superfactors), we tested theories about the relationships between autobiographical memory and personality. The sample of 133 participants (1330 SDMs) was well-powered for multilevel modeling. We found support for the following claims. Affect: SDM affect was linked to positive and negative emotionality indices, consistent with trait theory and the self-memory system (SMS) model of autobiographical recall. Structure: SDM specificity vs. overgenerality related to indices of constraint and internalizing tendencies, lending support to the executive dysfunction and emotional disorder theories of overgeneral memory. Tests of the avoidance hypotheses of overgeneral memory were less conclusive. Meaning: Integrative processing in SDMs reflects healthy personality functioning. It moderated the link between SDM affect and internalizing. Content: Links between SDM content (event types and contamination themes) and personality suggest that SDMs reflect personal goals (as per the SMS model) whose fulfillment (or frustration) may indicate (mal)adjustment. This research further establishes the validity and usefulness of the SDM framework in the study of autobiographical memory, personality, and psychopathology.

scholarly journals Avoidance and overgeneral memory

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Tim Ganly
Keyword(s):  
Autobiographical Memory ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Memory Test ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Overgeneral Memory ◽  
Significant Relationships ◽  
Avoidance Strategies ◽  
The Relationship

<p>Overgeneral memory is a phenomenon that occurs in depression in which people tend to remember temporally non-specific autobiographical memories. Overgeneral memory may be functional; by avoiding specific memories, potentially distressing emotions can avoided. This “functional avoidance” may be part of a repertoire of avoidance strategies people use when they are under stress. The question of the relationship between avoidance, stress, and overgeneral memory has been investigated using only laboratory-based stressors, and no previous research has examined the relationships in both non-clinical and clinical samples. Across four studies, this thesis investigated the relationships between avoidance and overgeneral memory in clinical and non-clinical samples and whether every-day stress moderates this relationship.  Studies 1, 2, and 4 engaged undergraduate samples in which mean depression scores were low (non-clinical samples). Study 3 engaged a sample from a university counselling service in which the mean depression score was high (clinical sample). Participants completed self-report measures of avoidance and stress. They were also asked to remember specific events to a series of emotion cue words on the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT). This thesis also investigated the possibility that avoidance may be associated with a reduction in memory performance on other tests of autobiographical memory besides the AMT, perhaps because other types of memories, not just specific, can be distressing. Thus, in Study 1, participants also completed the Autobiographical Memory Test-Reversed (AMT-R) in which they were asked to retrieve general memories. In addition, across studies, the pleasantness of events remembered to positive and negative cues was examined. In Study 4, the possible moderating role of rating pleasantness on the relationship between avoidance and overgeneral memory was examined.  Results from the non-clinical samples indicated higher avoidance was associated with less overgeneral remembering on the AMT. In the clinical sample, there were no significant relationships between avoidance and overgeneral memory. There were no significant relationships between avoidance and AMT-R performance. Overall, stress did not moderate the relationship between avoidance and overgeneral memory. Mean pleasantness ratings for events remembered to positive and negative cues were congruent with cue valence. However, individual positive and negative cues did not always elicit memories for pleasant and unpleasant events, respectively. Rating (vs. not rating) the pleasantness of remembered events did not moderate the relationship between avoidance and overgeneral memory. Overall, findings suggested that functional avoidance is not part of a repertoire of avoidance strategies. Ironic process theory is discussed as an explanation for why higher avoidance was associated with a lower proportion of overgeneral memories in the non-clinical samples.</p>

scholarly journals Autobiographical Memory From Different Life Stages in Individuals With Obstructive Sleep Apnea

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 266-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neha Delhikar ◽  
Lucy Sommers ◽  
Genevieve Rayner ◽  
Rachel Schembri ◽  
Stephen R. Robinson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Obstructive Sleep Apnea ◽  
Sleep Apnea ◽  
Autobiographical Memory ◽  
Adult Life ◽  
Memory Recall ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
Autobiographical Memories ◽  
Overgeneral Memory ◽  
Obstructive Sleep ◽  
Early Adult Life

AbstractObjectives:Autobiographical memory dysfunction is a marker of vulnerability to depression. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) experience high rates of depression and memory impairment, and autobiographical memory impairments have been observed compared to healthy controls; however, these groups were not age-matched. This study aimed to determine whether individuals with untreated OSA have impaired autobiographical memory when compared to age-matched controls, and to assess the quality of autobiographical memories from three broad time points.Methods:A total of 44 participants with OSA (Mage=49.4±13.0) and 44 age-matched controls (Mage=50.0±13.1) completed the Autobiographical Memory Interview (AMI) to assess semantic and episodic memories from three different life stages, and 44 OSA participants and 37 controls completed the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT) to assess overgeneral memory recall (an inability to retrieve specific memories).Results:OSA participants had significantly poorer semantic recall of early adult life on the AMI (p<.001), and more overgeneral autobiographical memories recalled on the AMT (=.001), than controls. Poor semantic recall from early adult life was significantly correlated with more depressive symptoms (p=0.006) and lower education (p<0.02), while higher overgeneral memory recall was significantly associated with older age (p=.001).Conclusions:A specific deficit in semantic autobiographical recall was observed in individuals with OSA. OSA patients recalled more overgeneral memories, suggesting that aspects of the sleep disorder affect their ability to recollect specific details of events from their life. These cognitive features of OSA may contribute to the high incidence of depression in this population. (JINS2019,25, 266–274)

scholarly journals Demographic Characteristics, Motivation and Perception of Change as Determinants of Memory Compensation Self-Reports After Acquired Brain Injury

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Martin ◽  
Draushika Mooruth ◽  
Estelle Guerdoux-Ninot ◽  
Clémence Mazzocco ◽  
Denis Brouillet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Injury ◽  
Everyday Life ◽  
Brain Injuries ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Rehabilitation Programs ◽  
Frequent Use ◽  
Brain Injured ◽  
Memory Rehabilitation ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionIndividuals with brain injuries experience cognitive and emotional changes that have long-lasting impacts on everyday life. In the context of rehabilitation, surveys have stressed the importance of compensating for memory disturbances to ease the impact of disorders on day-to-day autonomy. Despite extensive research on the nature of neurocognitive impairments following brain injury, few studies have looked at patients’ perceptions of these day-to-day compensations. This study examines these perceptions; in particular, what brain-injured people believe they do to compensate for memory deficiencies in everyday life. It also investigates the determinants of reported compensation strategies (age, gender, perceived stress, change awareness and motivation to succeed).MethodsEighty patients and 80 controls completed the French Memory Compensation Questionnaire, a self-report measure of everyday memory compensation. Five forms of compensation were investigated: External and Internal strategies, Reliance on social help, and investments in Time and Effort, along with two general factors: the degree of importance attached to Success (motivation) and perceptions of Change. Participants also completed measures of demographic and emotional aspects that may affect everyday compensation perceptions.ResultsThe brain-injured group reported significantly more frequent use of memory compensation strategies than controls, with the exception of External aids. Large effects were observed for Reliance and Effort. Demographic, motivation and perception of change determinants were found to have different effects depending on the compensation strategy, and mediated the direct effect of brain injury on reported compensation.ConclusionClinical and rehabilitation neuropsychologists often seek to have a better sense of how their patients perceive their compensatory behaviors. In practice, such an understanding is needed to help select appropriate methods and improve the long-term impact of rehabilitation programs: memory rehabilitation will fail if neuropsychologists do not deal, first and foremost, with the emotional and metacognitive issues surrounding traumatic brain injury (TBI), rather than focusing on cognitive efficiency.

scholarly journals Avoidance and overgeneral memory

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Tim Ganly
Keyword(s):  
Autobiographical Memory ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Memory Test ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Overgeneral Memory ◽  
Significant Relationships ◽  
Avoidance Strategies ◽  
The Relationship

<p>Overgeneral memory is a phenomenon that occurs in depression in which people tend to remember temporally non-specific autobiographical memories. Overgeneral memory may be functional; by avoiding specific memories, potentially distressing emotions can avoided. This “functional avoidance” may be part of a repertoire of avoidance strategies people use when they are under stress. The question of the relationship between avoidance, stress, and overgeneral memory has been investigated using only laboratory-based stressors, and no previous research has examined the relationships in both non-clinical and clinical samples. Across four studies, this thesis investigated the relationships between avoidance and overgeneral memory in clinical and non-clinical samples and whether every-day stress moderates this relationship.  Studies 1, 2, and 4 engaged undergraduate samples in which mean depression scores were low (non-clinical samples). Study 3 engaged a sample from a university counselling service in which the mean depression score was high (clinical sample). Participants completed self-report measures of avoidance and stress. They were also asked to remember specific events to a series of emotion cue words on the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT). This thesis also investigated the possibility that avoidance may be associated with a reduction in memory performance on other tests of autobiographical memory besides the AMT, perhaps because other types of memories, not just specific, can be distressing. Thus, in Study 1, participants also completed the Autobiographical Memory Test-Reversed (AMT-R) in which they were asked to retrieve general memories. In addition, across studies, the pleasantness of events remembered to positive and negative cues was examined. In Study 4, the possible moderating role of rating pleasantness on the relationship between avoidance and overgeneral memory was examined.  Results from the non-clinical samples indicated higher avoidance was associated with less overgeneral remembering on the AMT. In the clinical sample, there were no significant relationships between avoidance and overgeneral memory. There were no significant relationships between avoidance and AMT-R performance. Overall, stress did not moderate the relationship between avoidance and overgeneral memory. Mean pleasantness ratings for events remembered to positive and negative cues were congruent with cue valence. However, individual positive and negative cues did not always elicit memories for pleasant and unpleasant events, respectively. Rating (vs. not rating) the pleasantness of remembered events did not moderate the relationship between avoidance and overgeneral memory. Overall, findings suggested that functional avoidance is not part of a repertoire of avoidance strategies. Ironic process theory is discussed as an explanation for why higher avoidance was associated with a lower proportion of overgeneral memories in the non-clinical samples.</p>

scholarly journals Attributions for Brain Injured Persons' Actions: Effects of Cause of Injury and Familiarity

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Lynette Ann Foster
Keyword(s):  
Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Tumour ◽  
Brain Injuries ◽  
Illegal Drugs ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
The Public ◽  
Brain Injured ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Undesirable Behavior

<p>Misunderstanding the behaviours of individuals with brain injuries is common and may result in negative consequences, especially when visible markers of brain injury are absent. Previous research on this issue manipulated the visibility of a brain injury with photographs of an adolescent with either a head scar or no scar (McClure, Buchanan, McDowall, & Wade, 2008). Scenarios stated that the adolescent had suffered a brain injury, followed by undesirable changes in four behaviours. Participants attributed the behaviors more to adolescence relative to brain injury when there was no scar than when there was a scar. The current research extends this research by examining the effects of visible markers of injury combined with three other factors: whether people are informed about the injury, the stated cause of injury, and familiarity with individuals with brain injury. Experiment 1 (N = 98) examined the effects of informing people about brain injury and found that when participants were not informed about the brain injury, visible markers of injury had no effect on attributions; participants made higher attributions to adolescence than brain injury in both scar conditions. In contrast, when participants were informed about the injury, in the no scar condition, attributions were higher for adolescence than brain injury whereas in the scar condition, both causes were rated equally. Experiment 2 (N = 148) examined the effects of putative causes of the injury and the participants' familiarity with the brain injury. The results found that visible markers of injury had no effect on attributions when the described cause was a brain tumour, but when the described cause was abusing illegal drugs, participants made higher attributions to brain injury than adolescence in the scar condition, with the reverse found in the no scar condition. In the scar condition, participants with high familiarity attributed the behaviours more to the brain injury than participants with low familiarity and participants with low familiarity attributed the behaviours more to adolescence than participants with high familiarity. In the no scar condition, participants in both familiarity groups attributed the behaviours equally to adolescence and brain injury. This research shows that the visibility of a brain injury, the etiology of an injury and familiarity with individuals with brain injury influence people's attributions for an adolescent's undesirable behavior. This information can be used by professionals and caregivers to inform survivors about these effects and used in campaigns to educate the public.</p>

scholarly journals Attributions for Brain Injured Persons' Actions: Effects of Cause of Injury and Familiarity

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Lynette Ann Foster
Keyword(s):  
Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Tumour ◽  
Brain Injuries ◽  
Illegal Drugs ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
The Public ◽  
Brain Injured ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Undesirable Behavior

<p>Misunderstanding the behaviours of individuals with brain injuries is common and may result in negative consequences, especially when visible markers of brain injury are absent. Previous research on this issue manipulated the visibility of a brain injury with photographs of an adolescent with either a head scar or no scar (McClure, Buchanan, McDowall, & Wade, 2008). Scenarios stated that the adolescent had suffered a brain injury, followed by undesirable changes in four behaviours. Participants attributed the behaviors more to adolescence relative to brain injury when there was no scar than when there was a scar. The current research extends this research by examining the effects of visible markers of injury combined with three other factors: whether people are informed about the injury, the stated cause of injury, and familiarity with individuals with brain injury. Experiment 1 (N = 98) examined the effects of informing people about brain injury and found that when participants were not informed about the brain injury, visible markers of injury had no effect on attributions; participants made higher attributions to adolescence than brain injury in both scar conditions. In contrast, when participants were informed about the injury, in the no scar condition, attributions were higher for adolescence than brain injury whereas in the scar condition, both causes were rated equally. Experiment 2 (N = 148) examined the effects of putative causes of the injury and the participants' familiarity with the brain injury. The results found that visible markers of injury had no effect on attributions when the described cause was a brain tumour, but when the described cause was abusing illegal drugs, participants made higher attributions to brain injury than adolescence in the scar condition, with the reverse found in the no scar condition. In the scar condition, participants with high familiarity attributed the behaviours more to the brain injury than participants with low familiarity and participants with low familiarity attributed the behaviours more to adolescence than participants with high familiarity. In the no scar condition, participants in both familiarity groups attributed the behaviours equally to adolescence and brain injury. This research shows that the visibility of a brain injury, the etiology of an injury and familiarity with individuals with brain injury influence people's attributions for an adolescent's undesirable behavior. This information can be used by professionals and caregivers to inform survivors about these effects and used in campaigns to educate the public.</p>

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