Autobiographical memories cued by self-statements in patients with alcohol use disorder: linking self-conceptions to past events

The study examined the personal sense of identity in alcohol use disorder (AUD) through the relation between autobiographical memories and individuals' self-conception. The AUD detoxified patients and control participants were asked to create a list of self-statements to which they associated for the three main autobiographical memories illustrating them. The group variable was not associated with the number of positive self-statements, but it was associated with the number of negative self-statements. Furthermore, for the autobiographical memories cued by a positive self-statement, the group was related to the number of positive memories and general memories, while no relation was observed for the memories cued by a negative self-statement. Our results also support that AUD patients' memories cued by self-statements are older and more alcohol-related. Hierarchical regression analyses in the AUD patients demonstrated that the use of adaptive emotional regulation strategies was the only significant predictor of the use of positive or negative self-statements.

Automated summary

The study investigated the relationship between autobiographical memories and individuals' self-conception in alcohol use disorder (AUD). AUD detoxified patients and control participants were asked to create a list of self-statements associated with autobiographical memories. The group variable was not linked to the number of positive self-statements, but it was associated with the number of negative self-statements. Additionally, the memories cued by positive self-statements were related to the group and the number of positive and general memories, while there was no association for the memories cued by negative self-statements. The use of adaptive emotional regulation strategies was the only significant predictor of the use of positive or negative self-statements in AUD patients.