Autobiographical memory specificity to attachment-related cues improves in major depression during initial psychodynamic treatment
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 psychodyna...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
05 April 2026
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| In: |
Psychotherapy research
Year: 2026, Pages: 1-14 |
| ISSN: | 1468-4381 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/10503307.2026.2650153 |
| Online Access: | Resolving-System, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2026.2650153 Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10503307.2026.2650153 
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| Author Notes: | Jonathan Raphael Nowak, Ede Nagy, Maximilian Orth, Hans-Christoph Friederich, & Christoph Nikendei |
| Summary: | 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. 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). 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. 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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| Item Description: | Gesehen am 29.04.2026 |
| Physical Description: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 1468-4381 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/10503307.2026.2650153 |