A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Working Memory Training with Competitive Memory Training on the Psychological Symptoms and Cognitive Functions of People with Major Depressive Disorder

This research aimed to compare the effectiveness of working memory training with competitive memory training on the psychological symptoms and cognitive functions of patients with major depression.

This study was performed on 60 patients with the major depressive disorder who were randomly divided into three groups: control, competitive memory training, and working memory training. The instruments used in this study included four computer tasks: asymmetry span, reading span, letter-number, dual n-back, three questionnaires: BECK Depression Inventory, Nolen -Hoeksema rumination Questionnaire, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Questionnaire, and the Wechsler intelligence Scale for Adult-Memory for Digit Span. Data were analyzed by using ANCOVA.

In all three experiments, performance during the training task significantly increased, but this performance gain did not transfer to the rumination. In working memory training group no positive effect of training on depression and self-esteem was found. But it did lead to improvements in the components of shifting, updating, and inhibition. Also, competitive memory training failed to improve cognitive functions in depressed individuals but led to improved depression and self-esteem. overall, results show that stand alone Working Memory training can not be effective on low self esteem and does not result in reduced rumination nor in reduced symptoms of major depression. Also, stand alone competitive memory training can not be effective on rumination, and cognitive functions in depressed maple Due to the different effectiveness of these two treatments and based on different therapeutic goals, one of these two treatments can be selected or used simultaneously with another treatment.