Difference in the mood repair effect between voluntary and involuntary memory retrieval in depressive people

Abstract

Although the voluntary retrieval of positive autobiographical memories improves mood, this effect is not observed in depressive people. Contrarily, they tend to get worse when they voluntarily retrieve positive autobiographical memories. A previous study that used retrieval of emotional pictures instead of autobiographical memories suggested that depressive people improve their mood through involuntary positive memory retrieval. However, the mood repair effect of positive autobiographical memories has not been studied experimentally. This study aimed to examine the difference in the mood repair effect between voluntary and involuntary positive autobiographical memory retrieval in depressive people experimentally. Findings revealed that only involuntary positive autobiographical memory retrieval improved the mood of depressive people.