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Especificidade de evocação de memórias autobiográficas na perturbação de pânico um estudo à luz do modelo carfax
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Abstract(s)
Este trabalho consiste num estudo experimental com o objectivo de avaliar se existem
diferenças de especificidade na evocação de memórias autobiográficas, na perturbação de
pânico. Foram comparados indivíduos com diagnóstico de perturbação de pânico e indivíduos
sem história recente ou passada de alterações psicopatológicas, no que diz respeito a variações
dos tipos de memórias preferencialmente evocadas ao longo de uma tarefa de memória
autobiográfica, e a tempos de latência associados à evocação mnésica. Para este efeito,
recorremos a uma amostra constituída por 42 indivíduos (21 de cada grupo referido
anteriormente), aos quais foi aplicada uma bateria de escalas clínicas e a Tarefa de Memória
Autobiográfica (Cláudio, 2004). Na sua investigação original Victor Cláudio (2004) já
verificara que o número de memórias autobiográficas específicas era significativamente
superior às memórias categóricas e alargadas, nesta ordem. No presente estudo, tentamos
complementar estes dados com a avaliação das omissões de resposta, dada a importância da
sua análise salientada em investigações mais recentes (Williams, Barhnofer, Crane, Hermans,
Raes, Watkins, Dalgleish, 2007). Para o efeito, recodificamos algumas variáveis do estudo
original numa variável única que reflectisse o carácter hierárquico da memória autobiográfica
definido por Conway e Pleydell-Pearce (2000). Realizámos ainda uma análise post-hoc à
tarefa experimental, para avaliar possíveis efeitos da duração da mesma nos recursos
cognitivos dos participantes, e considerámos a sua partição em três blocos, que pela
predominância da valência das palavras que os constituem, assumem diferentes tonalidades
afectivas (positivo, neutro e negativo). Tentámos comparar o desempenho dos participantes à
luz do Modelo CaRFAX proposto por Williams (2006) que defende a existência de três
mecanismos essenciais para o fenómeno do estilo generalizado de memórias autobiográficas:
captura e ruminação, evitamento funcional e controlo executivo. Apesar de não confirmada a
existência do fenómeno da generalização de memórias autobiográficas, a comparação intergrupal
demonstrou que existem diferenças significativas (p<0.05) no último terço da tarefa, na
qual os participantes sem alteração psicopatológica exibiram média superior aos participantes
com perturbação de pânico na média de “não respostas”. Os resultados obtidos neste grupo de
palavras, com maior tonalidade negativa, sugerem que os efeitos do mecanismo protector de
evitamento funcional, ou dificuldades na manutenção das funções executivas (atenção,
concentração) ocorrem em pessoas sem alteração psicopatológica. A correlação positiva entre
ansiedade estado e a média de memórias específicas nos participantes com perturbação de pânico é congruente com estes resultados. Face ao papel preponderante da ansiedade como
mobilizador de recursos cognitivos para lidar com ameaças ou situações negativas, parece que
estamos (novamente) perante evidência a favor do efeito de enviesamento da dedicação
excessiva de recursos cognitivos em pessoas com perturbação de pânico perante materiais
negativos.
This work consists of an experimental study with the aim to evaluate if there are differences of specificity in retrieving autobiographic memories in panic disorder. Individuals with diagnosis of panic disorder and individuals without recent or passed history of psychopathology were compared, in respect to the variations of the types of memories preferentially retrieved throughout a task of autobiographic memory. For this, a battery of clinical scales and the Autobiographic Memory Task (Cláudio, 2004) was applied to a sample of 42 individuals (21 of each of the previously cited groups). In its original research Victor Cláudio (2004) already verified that the number of specific autobiographic memories was significantly superior to the categorical and extended memories, in this order. In the present study, we try to complement these data with the evaluation of omissions, given the importance of its analysis pointed out in more recent research (Williams, Barhnofer, Crane, Hermans, Raes, Watkins, Dalgleish, 2007). For this effect, we recoded some variables of the original study in only one that showed the hierarchic character of the autobiographic memory defined by Conway and Pleydell-Pearce (2000). We also carried a post-hoc analysis to the experimental task, to evaluate possible effects of it’s duration in the participants cognitive resources, and considered its partition in three blocks, that, due to the predominance of cue valence that constitute them, assume different affective tonalities (positive, neutral and negative). We compare the participants performance considering the CaRFAX Model (Williams, 2006) that proposes the existence of three essential mechanisms for the phenomena of overgeneralization of autobiographic memories: capture and rumination, functional avoidance and executive control. Although the existence of the generalization of autobiographic memories was not confirmed, the Inter-group comparison demonstrated significant differences (p<0.05) in last third of the task, in which subjects without psychopathological disorder shown a greater average than subjects with panic disorder in the average of omissions. The results of this group of words, with stronger negative tonality, suggest that the effect of the protective mechanism of functional avoidance, or difficulties in the maintenance of the executive functions (attention, concentration) occur in people without psychopathological disorder. The positive correlation between state-anxiety and the average of specific memories in the participants with panic disorder is congruent with these results. Face to the preponderant role of anxiety as a cognitive resources mobilizer to deal with threats or negative situations, it seems that we are (again) before evidence in favor of the presence of a biasing effect of the high dedication of cognitive resources in people with panic disorder when faced to negative data .
This work consists of an experimental study with the aim to evaluate if there are differences of specificity in retrieving autobiographic memories in panic disorder. Individuals with diagnosis of panic disorder and individuals without recent or passed history of psychopathology were compared, in respect to the variations of the types of memories preferentially retrieved throughout a task of autobiographic memory. For this, a battery of clinical scales and the Autobiographic Memory Task (Cláudio, 2004) was applied to a sample of 42 individuals (21 of each of the previously cited groups). In its original research Victor Cláudio (2004) already verified that the number of specific autobiographic memories was significantly superior to the categorical and extended memories, in this order. In the present study, we try to complement these data with the evaluation of omissions, given the importance of its analysis pointed out in more recent research (Williams, Barhnofer, Crane, Hermans, Raes, Watkins, Dalgleish, 2007). For this effect, we recoded some variables of the original study in only one that showed the hierarchic character of the autobiographic memory defined by Conway and Pleydell-Pearce (2000). We also carried a post-hoc analysis to the experimental task, to evaluate possible effects of it’s duration in the participants cognitive resources, and considered its partition in three blocks, that, due to the predominance of cue valence that constitute them, assume different affective tonalities (positive, neutral and negative). We compare the participants performance considering the CaRFAX Model (Williams, 2006) that proposes the existence of three essential mechanisms for the phenomena of overgeneralization of autobiographic memories: capture and rumination, functional avoidance and executive control. Although the existence of the generalization of autobiographic memories was not confirmed, the Inter-group comparison demonstrated significant differences (p<0.05) in last third of the task, in which subjects without psychopathological disorder shown a greater average than subjects with panic disorder in the average of omissions. The results of this group of words, with stronger negative tonality, suggest that the effect of the protective mechanism of functional avoidance, or difficulties in the maintenance of the executive functions (attention, concentration) occur in people without psychopathological disorder. The positive correlation between state-anxiety and the average of specific memories in the participants with panic disorder is congruent with these results. Face to the preponderant role of anxiety as a cognitive resources mobilizer to deal with threats or negative situations, it seems that we are (again) before evidence in favor of the presence of a biasing effect of the high dedication of cognitive resources in people with panic disorder when faced to negative data .
Description
Dissertação de Mestrado apresentada no ISPA – Instituto Universitário para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Psicologia
especialidade de Psicologia Clínica.
Keywords
Perturbação de pânico Memórias autobiográficas Especificidade de evocação mnésica CaRFAX Panic disorder Autobiographic memories Specificity of memory retrieval