Autobiographical memory specificity to attachment-related cues improves in major depression during initial psychodynamic treatment.

IF 3 1区心理学 Q2 PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL

Psychotherapy Research Pub Date : 2026-04-05 DOI:10.1080/10503307.2026.2650153

Jonathan Raphael Nowak, Ede Nagy, Maximilian Orth, Hans-Christoph Friederich, Christoph Nikendei

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective: Patients with depression tend to retrieve fewer specific autobiographical memories, a phenomenon linked to insecure attachment and emotion regulation. This study examined changes in autobiographical memory (AM) specificity in response to attachment-related cues during the initial phase of psychodynamic psychotherapy, as early change is predictive of later outcome and central psychodynamic processes occur at this stage.

Method: Seventy-four outpatients with major depression were assessed twice during early psychodynamic psychotherapy (baseline and after M = 10.5 sessions, range = 7-21). A modified Autobiographical Memory Test with attachment-related cues was used alongside measures of depression (BDI-II), anxiety (STAI), perseverative thinking (PTQ), attachment (ECR), and emotion regulation (EAQ). Robust regression analysis examined variables associated with change in attachment-cued AM (AC-AM).

Results: Patients recalled more specific AC-AMs after early treatment. Depression, anxiety, and perseverative thinking decreased. Higher baseline attachment anxiety was associated with less improvement in AC-AM specificity, whereas higher baseline attachment avoidance and greater reductions in affective suppression were associated with greater improvement.

Conclusion: During early psychodynamic treatment, patients with depression showed increased AC-AM specificity. Early gains appeared moderated by attachment style and affective suppression, suggesting that memory specificity improvement reflects emerging psychodynamic change processes related to attachment and affect regulation.

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在最初的心理动力学治疗中，重性抑郁症患者对依恋相关线索的自传体记忆特异性得到改善。

目的：抑郁症患者倾向于检索较少的特定自传体记忆，这一现象与不安全依恋和情绪调节有关。本研究考察了在心理动力疗法的初始阶段，自传体记忆（AM）特异性对依恋相关线索的反应的变化，因为早期的变化可以预测后来的结果，并且中枢心理动力过程发生在这一阶段。方法：对74例重度抑郁症门诊患者进行两次早期心理动力学心理治疗评估（基线和M = 10.5次，范围= 7-21）。采用带有依恋相关线索的改良自传式记忆测试，同时采用抑郁（BDI-II）、焦虑（STAI）、持续性思维（PTQ）、依恋（ECR）和情绪调节（EAQ）测试。稳健回归分析检验了与依恋诱导AM （AC-AM）变化相关的变量。结果：患者在早期治疗后回忆起更多特异性AC-AMs。抑郁、焦虑和持续性思维减少。较高的基线依恋焦虑与AC-AM特异性的改善较少相关，而较高的基线依恋回避和情感抑制的较大减少与较大的改善相关。结论：在早期心理动力学治疗中，抑郁症患者AC-AM特异性增高。依恋类型和情感抑制抑制了早期记忆的增长，表明记忆特异性的改善反映了与依恋和情感调节相关的新兴心理动力学变化过程。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Psychotherapy Research PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL-

CiteScore

7.80

自引率

10.30%

发文量

期刊介绍： Psychotherapy Research seeks to enhance the development, scientific quality, and social relevance of psychotherapy research and to foster the use of research findings in practice, education, and policy formulation. The Journal publishes reports of original research on all aspects of psychotherapy, including its outcomes, its processes, education of practitioners, and delivery of services. It also publishes methodological, theoretical, and review articles of direct relevance to psychotherapy research. The Journal is addressed to an international, interdisciplinary audience and welcomes submissions dealing with diverse theoretical orientations, treatment modalities.