A total of 315 memory descriptions were gathered.
All memory descriptions were recorded and later transcribed verbatim for content analysis.
When the participants had a memory in mind they were asked to verbally describe the memory; descriptions were tape-recorded.
Memory descriptions were examined for six types of knowledge as mentioned earlier and counted for quantitative analysis.
Depressed participants retrieved autobiographical memories faster, produced shorter memory descriptions and were less likely to recall positive memories than non-depressed participants.
The memory descriptions were also examined for knowledge sequence as we wanted to see if the two groups varied in terms of overall construction of their autobiographical memories.
As the depressed participants produced more thought elements in their memory descriptions than non-depressed participants it seems plausible that such thoughts would interrupt the retrieval of specific memories.
To see whether the depressed and non-depressed participants varied in terms of the overall length of the memory descriptions, average scores for LTP, GE, ESK, TH, MIX and OTR for each participant calculated for earlier analyses were added.
The transcribed memory descriptions were examined for elements such as, lifetime period knowledge (LTP), general event knowledge (GE), event specific knowledge (ESK), thought (TH), mixed information (MIX), and other knowledge (OTR) ([ 37] for similar categorization).
Independent sample t-test showed a significant difference, t(24) = 6.33, p < 0.01, d = 2.58 with depressed participants (M = 3.06, SD = 0.55) being less elaborative in their memory descriptions than the non-depressed participants (M = 4.33, SD = 0.47).
