Repressed?

                                 Memory in Cluster C Personality Disorders
                                    and the Role of Depression, Worry
                                           and Experiential Avoidance


The classification of Cluster C Personality Disorders refers to avoidant, dependant, and obsessive compulsive personality disorders.  It is important to look at the relation of overgenerality in Cluster C Personality Disorders, specifically the role of depression, worry and experiential avoidance in these disorders.  When asked to describe specific autobiographical events, individuals with Cluster C Personality Disorders (PD) often display manifestations of overgenerality. (Spinhoven, Bamelis, Molendijk, Haringsma, & Arntz, 2009).

Overgenerality is defined as a feature of memory closely related to the psychopathology of emotion, and is displayed by failure to provide specific autobiographical memories upon request, instead substituting general memories that summarize a category of similar events. Since autobiographical memory is an integral part of the sense of self, and effects ones orientation in the world and pursuit of personal goals, it is important to look further into the correlation of overgeneralization and Cluster C Personality Disorders. (Spinhoven, Bamelis, Molendijk, Haringsma, & Arntz, 2009).

Various tests were administered to investigate the role of worry, experiential avoidance, and depression in Cluster C Personality Disorders and the relationship between those roles and the prediction of overgenerality. Test results showed that each type of Cluster C personality disorder group produced significantly fewer specific memories and significantly more categorical memories than the control groups. (Spinhoven, Bamelis, Molendijk, Haringsma, & Arntz, 2009).
A series of hierarchal multiple linear regression analyses indicated that the predictive value of depression severity was marginally significant.  Age and education level (with younger and higher educated individuals showing higher rates of specificity recall) and experiential avoidance were significant predictors with worry indicated to be the highest predictor. (Spinhoven, Bamelis, Molendijk, Haringsma, & Arntz, 2009).

This current data deserves consideration despite the limitation of using short standardized self report questionnaires and warrants replication and extension of the present study with the addition of experimental tasks for manipulation. (Spinhoven, Bamelis, Molendijk, Haringsma, & Arntz, 2009).
Additionally, this study’s present findings on reduced memory specificity in Cluster C Personality Disorders justify further studies into mechanisms underlying memory specificity in other Personality Disorder categories. (Spinhoven, Bamelis, Molendijk, Haringsma, & Arntz, 2009).

Reference
Spinhoven, P., Bamelis, L., Molendijk, M., Haringsma, R., & Arntz, A. (2009). Reduced specificity of autobiographical memory in cluster c personality disorders and the role of depression, worry, and experiential avoidance. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 118(3), 520-530. doi:10.1037/