Autobiographical Memory Retrieval in Schizophrenia and Its Association With Symptom Severity

Abstract

There is emerging evidence that people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders may recall personal experiences in an overgeneral manner. However, it remains unclear how autobiographical memory recall relates to schizophrenia symptoms and whether recall differs as a function of the valence of the words used to cuethem. Adults with schizophrenia spectrumdisorders (n = 45) were compared against age- and gender-matched healthy individuals (n =45) on the specificity and detailedness of autobiographical memories using the Autobiographical Memory Test. Patients were assessed on general intelligence, schizophrenia symptoms, and depressive symptoms. People with schizophrenia spectrum disorders recalled less detailed memories than controls regardless of cue valence. There was no group difference in the specificity of memories. Within patients, the severity of negative symptoms was negatively correlated with the specificity of positive memories. While episodic detailedness differentiated patients from controls, specificity of autobiographical memories is more closely related to the severity of schizophrenia symptoms.