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Keywords:

Social Sciences, Family Studies, Psychology, Developmental, Psychology, attachment, depression, developmental psychopathology, communication, COGNITIVE VULNERABILITY, DEPRESSED ADOLESCENTS, MIDDLE CHILDHOOD, PEER ATTACHMENT, INVENTORY, SECURITY, EMOTION, PARENT, LIFE, ORIGINS, 1701 Psychology, Developmental & Child Psychology, 5201 Applied and developmental psychology, 5203 Clinical and health psychology, 5205 Social and personality psychology

Abstract:

Although autobiographical memory specificity is an important developmental feature fostering adaptation throughout life, little is known about factors related to interindividual differences in autobiographical memory specificity. The current study investigated associations with early adolescents' communication with mother about their experiences and their trust in her support. For this reason, 80 general population children (ages ranging from 10 to 13) were asked to retrieve specific memories of interactions with mother. Communication and trust in maternal support were measured using questionnaires. Results showed that specificity of autobiographical memories was directly linked with communication, but not with trust in maternal support. Moreover, evidence was found in favor of an indirect effect of trust on autobiographical memory specificity through communication. This study suggests that trust-related mother-child communication is important to understand interindividual differences in autobiographical memory specificity. © The Author(s) 2012.