Cross-cultural examination of intrusive autobiographical memories recalled during depression

Depression is a disabling psychological condition that is affecting a growing number of people worldwide. Those with depression often recall spontaneous, distressing memories. These memories have been shown to contribute to the persistence of depressive symptoms. This thesis examined if the experience of these memories varies between cultures. Culture has been shown to affect how people remember personal experiences and how they respond to stressful experiences. Findings from this thesis indicated that the content of memories was largely similar between participants from European Australian and East Asian backgrounds. Furthermore, certain responses to memories were found to be unhelpful cross-culturally.