Autobiographical Memory and Executive Function in HIV Positive Patients and Families

The aim of this study was to examine Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms, autobiographical remembering and executive control in individuals with HIV and in those of Carers with HIV. For different groups of subjects including (1) people with HIV (n = 30), healthy controls 1 (n = 27), Carers of those with HIV (n=26), and healthy controls 2 (n= 26) participated in the study. All subjects completed the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, Beck’s Depression Inventory-II, Autobiographical Memory Interview, Autobiographical Memory Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and Tower of London.The results indicated higher PTSD, depression and anxiety symptoms among the HIV group. The findings also showed that those with HIV had lower levels of executive functioning, deficits in autobiographical remembering (semantic and episodic) and retrieved less specific autobiographical memories. Regarding to carer of HIV people, the results indicated higher depression and anxiety among the Carers group, but they did not differ in terms of executive functioning or semantic recollection with healthy controls.The findings are discussed in terms of the role of the self and processes involved in non-specific retrieval of autobiographical material in relation to HIV.