Guided recall of positive autobiographical memories increases anticipated pleasure and psychological resources, and reduces depressive symptoms: a replication and extension of a randomised controlled trial of brief positive cognitive-reminiscence therapy

Figures & data

Figure 1. Participant flowchart.

Table 1. Characteristics of participants.

Characteristic	Full sample	Control	CRT	Between-group statistics
Age	43.7 (SD = 16.7)	43.4 (SD = 17.5)	44.2 (SD = 15.9)	t = 0.19, p = .846, d = 0.04
Number of females	45 (60%)	23 (56.1%)	22 (64.7%)	χ^2= 0.57, p = .449
Level of education^a
High school	6 (8%)	2 (4.9%)	4 (11.8%)
Diploma	11 (14.7%)	4 (9.8%)	7 (20.6%)
Undergraduate degree	24 (32%)	15 (36.6%)	9 (26.5%)
Post-graduate degree	34 (45.3%)	20 (48.8%)	14 (41.2%)
Working^b	59 (83%)	30 (75%)	29 (85.3%)	χ^2= 1.20, p = .272
Studying	21 (28%)	14 (31.4%)	7 (20.6%)	χ^2= 1.69, p = .193
Ethnicity^a
Caucasian/White European	69 (92%)	37 (90.2%)	32 (94.1%)
Asian	4 (5.3%)	3 (7.3%)	1 (2.9%)
Latino	1 (1.3%)	1 (2.4%)	0 (0%)
Identified as Indian	1 (1.3%)	0 (0%)	1 (2.9%)

^a Ethnicity and level of education not compared due to inadequate cell sizes for analyses.

^b One person did not report working status.

Table 2. Correlations between study variables at baseline.

	Anticipatory pleasure	Esteem	Efficacy	Meaning	Optimism	ATQ	ANIQ	DASS-D	DASS-A	DASS-S
Anticipatory Pleasure	–
Esteem	.30**	–
Efficacy	.24*	.72***	–
Meaning	.35**	.33**	.32**	–
Optimism	.25*	.59***	.59***	.45***	–
ATQ	−.13	−.63***	−.50***	−.31**	−.45***	–
ANIQ	.42***	.18	.09	.47***	.40***	−.15	–
DASS-D	−.23*	−.61***	−.58***	−.38***	−.57***	.60***	−.26*	–
DASS-A	−.20	−.51***	−.53***	−.30**	−.38***	.43***	−.20	.67***	–
DASS-S	−.07	−.47***	−.38***	−.26*	−.48***	.56***	−.09	.71***	.53***	–

*p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001.

Table 3. Comparison of outcomes between control and CRT groups across time.

Outcomes	Control group	CRT group	Adjusted difference (CRT – control)
	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)	Mean (95% CI)	Cohen’s d	Corrected p-value (q)
Anticipatory pleasure
Baseline	3.40 (0.34)	3.59 (0.33)
Post-CRT	3.34 (0.34)	3.66 (0.34)	0.18 (−0.30, −0.07)	0.76	.001
Follow-up	3.33 (0.36)	3.68 (0.32)	0.46 (0.92, 0.01)	0.93	.0002
Self-esteem
Baseline	7.67 (1.39)	7.83 (1.21)
Post-CRT	7.51 (1.48)	8.31 (1.02)	0.82 (0.43, 1.21)	0.99	.0007
Follow-up	7.71 (1.18)	8.12 (1.18)	0.43 (0.05, 0.80)	0.54	.024
Self-efficacy
Baseline	3.90 (0.46)	3.81 (0.57)
Post-CRT	3.96 (0.63)	4.29 (0.56)	0.38 (0.15, 0.60)	0.82	.001
Follow-up	4.00 (0.55)	4.22 (0.59)	0.27 (0.08, 0.47)	0.68	.005
Meaning in life
Baseline	4.90 (1.03)	5.28 (1.10)
Post-CRT	4.97 (1.10)	5.62 (1.18)	0.30 (0.001, 0.60)	0.46	.056
Follow-up	5.00 (0.98)	5.49 (1.38)	0.14 (−0.19, 0.49)	0.20	.400
Optimism
Baseline	3.54 (0.83)	3.68 (0.84)
Post-CRT	3.92 (0.69)	4.24 (0.71)	0.22 (−0.02, 0.46)	0.41	.075
Follow-up	3.79 (0.84)	4.22 (0.60)	0.30 (0.05, 0.55)	0.58	.016
Negative automatic thoughts
Baseline	1.71 (0.52)	1.72 (0.61)
Post-CRT	1.58 (0.59)	1.38 (0.36)	−0.20 (−0.03, −0.37)	0.54	.021
Follow-up	1.41 (0.34)	1.39 (0.43)	−0.01 (−0.11, 0.14)	0.07	.796
ANIQ awareness
Baseline	7.14 (2.23)	7.28 (1.94)
Post-CRT	7.00 (2.20)	7.79 (1.82)	0.68 (0.09, 1.27)	0.55	.024
Follow-up	7.09 (2.14)	8.04 (2.17)	0.83 (0.16, 1.50)	0.58	.016
DASS depression
Baseline	2.39 (2.22)	2.71 (2.42)
Post-CRT	2.83 (3.30)	1.64 (1.88)	−1.43 (−2.43, −0.43)	0.67	.006
Follow-up	2.46 (2.47)	1.73 (2.26)	−0.96 (−1.76, −0.15)	0.56	.020
DASS anxiety
Baseline	1.88 (2.09)	1.85 (2.00)
Post-CRT	1.39 (1.64)	1.36 (1.65)	−0.01 (−0.65, 0.62)	0.01	.966
Follow-up	1.41 (1.99)	1.47 (1.77)	−0.07 (−0.83, 0.69)	0.04	.853
DASS stress
Baseline	5.24 (4.96)	4.77 (3.64)
Post-CRT	4.31 (3.97)	3.04 (2.60)	−1.01 (−2.14, 0.11)	0.42	.077
Follow-up	4.31 (3.91)	3.59 (3.56)	−0.49 (−1.94, 0.95)	0.16	.497

Note: The adjusted difference reflects the group × time interaction.