Overgeneral Autobiographical Memory in Patients with Chronic Pain

Abstract Objective Overgenerality and delay of the retrieval of autobiographical memory ( AM ) are well documented in a range of clinical conditions, particularly in patients with emotional disorder. The present study extended the investigation to chronic pain, attempting to identify whether the retrieval of AM in patients with chronic pain tends to be overgeneral or delayed. Design With an observational cross‐sectional design, we evaluated the AM both in patients with chronic pain and healthy controls by A utobiographical M emory T est. Pain conditions were assessed using the pain diagnostic protocol, the short‐form M c G ill P ain Q uestionnaire ( SF‐MPQ ), and the P ain S elf‐ E fficacy Q uestionnaire ( PSEQ ). Emotion was assessed using the B eck D epression I nventory‐ II ( BDI ‐ II ) and the B eck A nxiety I nventory. Subjects and Settings Subjects included 176 outpatients with chronic pain lasting for at least 6 months and 170 healthy controls. Results 1) Compared with the healthy group, the chronic pain group had more overgeneral memories ( OGMs ) ( F  = 29.061, P  < 0.01) and longer latency ( F  = 13.602, P  < 0.01). 2) In the chronic pain group, the stepwise multiple regression models for variables predicting OGM were significant ( P  < 0.01). Specifically, the variance in OGM scores could be predicted by the BDI score (9.7%), pain chronicity (4.3%), PSEQ score (7.1%), and A ffective I ndex (of SF‐MPQ ) score (2.7%). 3) In the chronic pain group, the stepwise multiple regression models for variables predicting latency were significant ( P  < 0.05). Specifically, the variance in latency could be predicted by age (3.1%), pain chronicity (2.7%), pain duration (4.3%), and PSEQ score (2.0%). Conclusions The retrieval of AM in patients with chronic pain tends to be overgeneral and delayed, and the retrieval style of AM may be contributed to negative emotions and chronic pain conditions.