Autobiographical memory-based clinical interventions:Where are we now and where might we go?

Abstract

We consider the state of research on autobiographical memory disruptions and mental health difficulties in light of the development of memory-based clinical interventions. We identify five issues that lead us to suggest that caution should be exercised before these interventions are disseminated: 1) overreliance on a single measure (Autobiographical Memory Test, AMT); 2) limited attention to inconsistent findings; 3) questions about the ecological validity of the AMT; 4) lack of clarity about the role of memory valence; and 5) premature recommendations of specific treatment approaches. In future research, we encourage researchers to: 1) engage in greater interdisciplinary integration and collaboration; 2) adopt an increased focus on memory narratives; 3) develop a finer-grained understanding of memory retrieval in daily life; and 4) engage in further basic research to establish efficacy and causal relationships. Our aim is to stimulate discussion to broaden the scope of theory and research on the role of autobiographical memory in understanding and treating mental health difficulties.