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Document Type

Research Paper

Abstract

The role of severity of depression in influencing verbal memory performance and self-report of cognitive difficulties was assessed using a two part study. The first part of the study asked 102 college male and female introduction to psychology students to provide self-reports of their cognitive difficulties and level of depression by completing the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ; Broadbent, Cooper, FitzGerald & Parkes, 1982), and the Beck Depression Inventory I (BDI I; Beck. Rush, Shaw, & Emery, 1979). Participants in the second part of the study were individuals whose BDI I score was less than a nine, and greater than a 14. Thirty of the original 102 students participated in the second half of the research. They were asked to self-report their level of depression by completing the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI II; Beck, Steer, & Brown, 1996), were tested on their verbal memory skills using the California Verbal Leaming Test (CVL T: Delis, Kramer, Kaplan, & Ober, 1987), and were tested on intellectual abilities using the W ASI (Wechsler, 1999). Severity of depression was not associated with actual verbal memory performance, but was associated with self-report of cognitive difficulties (p<0.0001). The results suggest that individuals who are depressed report more cognitive problems than are actually present.

Publication Date

2000

Journal Title

Conference Proceedings: Undergraduate Social Science Research Conference

Volume

4

Issue

1

First Page

112

Last Page

116

Copyright

©2000 by the University of Northern Iowa

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

Publisher

University of Northern Iowa

City

Cedar Falls, IA

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