B4712 - Exploring Overgeneral Autobiographical Memory as a Mechanism Underpinning the High Risk of Depression for those with ADHD - 07/10/2024

B number: 
B4712
Principal applicant name: 
Hannah Sallis | Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol
Co-applicants: 
Ms Susan Robinson-Molloy, Dr Robyn Wootton, Dr Tom Barry
Title of project: 
Exploring Overgeneral Autobiographical Memory as a Mechanism Underpinning the High Risk of Depression for those with ADHD.
Proposal summary: 

People with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder are at significantly higher risk of developing depression compared to those without. The combination of ADHD and depression together is particularly concerning due to the higher risk of suicide. Understanding the reasons why people with ADHD are more likely to have depression is therefore important and could lead to treatments that are more effective for people with ADHD.
Recalling memories of the personal past in a more general rather than specific way (referred to as overgeneral autobiographical memory – OGM) is common in people with depression and may be a process that makes people with ADHD more likely to develop depression. There has been little research on OGM for people with ADHD so far. This project will explore whether OGM is a feature that makes people with ADHD more like to have depression.

Impact of research: 
This project will be the first to explore OGM as a potential cognitive mechanism linking ADHD to depression. The insights provided by this project will improve understanding of ADHD-related cognitions and has potential to highlight a causal mechanism explaining why people with ADHD have a higher risk of depression. The findings are also likely to inform future longitudinal work in ADHD and depression. We expect the findings will be submitted to a relevant international high-quality journal, and will be presented as a poster at a relevant conference. By the end of the project, the student will have knowledge and skills in managing and cleaning ALSPAC data, regression and mediation models, multiple imputation, using R programming package, as well as experience in analysing and interpreting study findings for public health.
Date proposal received: 
Friday, 4 October, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Monday, 7 October, 2024
Keywords: 
Epidemiology, Learning difficulty, Mental health, Statistical methods, Cognition - cognitive function, Development, Intelligence - memory, Statistical methods