Year: 2016
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Intrusive memories are memories for negative autobiographical events that come to \nmind without being deliberately recalled (Hackmann, Ehlers, Speckens, & Clark, \n2004). Previous research has demonstrated that intrusive memories, and negative \nreactions to intrusive memories, are an important feature of depression (Starr & \nMoulds, 2006; Williams & Moulds, 2008b) and contribute to the maintenance of \ndepression longitudinally (Newby & Moulds, 2011c). It has also been established that \nintrusive memory experience is related to individual differences in cognitive control, \nspecifically in proactive interference resolution (Verwoerd, Wessel, & de Jong, 2009; \nVerwoerd, Wessel, de Jong, Nieuwenhuis, & Huntjens, 2011). The present thesis \naimed to extend upon these existing findings, using the Dual Mechanism of Control \ntheory, which distinguishes between proactive and reactive modes of control (Braver, \nGray, & Burgess, 2007). Furthermore, in view of some recent ambiguity of the \ndefining feature of an intrusive memory, as compared to a negative involuntary \nmemory more generally (Kvavilashvili, 2014; Moulds & Krans, 2015), another goal \nof the thesis was to incorporate a wider focus of involuntary memories, rather than \nfocusing only on traditionally studied intrusive memories. Participants from the \nstudent population and local community were tested. Overall, results provide some \nevidence for a negative involuntary memory related deficit in proactive control, on \nboth a classic and an emotional version of the AX-Continuous Performance Task \n(AX-CPT). Conversely, there was no link between intrusive or involuntary memory \nexperience and reactive control. A brief mindfulness and self-compassion based \nintervention, designed to reduce negative reactions to intrusive memories, was also \ntested. The intervention was successful in reducing intrusive-memory distress, and \nrecommendations for the future development of the intervention are presented.
Author: Stephanie Sayan
Language: English
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2887811191