Integration of Memory Specificity Training and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Techniques for Older Adult's Depression Treatment

Memory specificity training (MeST) was developed in 2009 to improve the memory specificity of depressed patients. Given its brevity, ease of use, and effectiveness, MeST can be mixed with other existing psychotherapies with relative ease. Accordingly, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention that integrated MeST with acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) MeST in the treatment of depression among older adults living in Kerman, Iran. MeST to assess the effectiveness of the integrated MeST and ACT intervention (AMeST), this study employed a quasi-experimental design with three experimental conditions and a control group (n = 12, per condition) in a pre/post-test design. Analysis of covariance data revealed the ACT and MeST techniques can reduced depression and increased memory specificity. However, the AMeST condition evidenced a greater reduction of depression than either the ACT or MeST conditions. Furthermore, the AMeST condition evidenced a more significant effect than ACT in improving autobiographical memory specificity, though no statistically significant difference between the AMeST and MeST conditions was detected.Public Health Significance StatementThe present study measures the effect of two existing treatment methods on depression and the autobiographical memory specificity of the elderly. In addition, a novel integrated psychotherapy was devised that combined the two existing methods into a single approach. Results demonstrate each of the three interventions can enhance memory specificity and reduce depression in older adults, but the novel integrated intervention tends to outweigh the other two interventions in reducing depression and increasing memory specificity.