The transdiagnostic value of self-referent memory bias in psychopathology

Biases in self-referent memory are a core feature and mechanism of depression. Emerging evidence suggests that they might play a role in a broader range of mental disorders, but this remains unclear. This thesis therefore investigates self-referent memory bias as a potential transdiagnostic mechanism in psychopathology using unique, naturalistic datasets of individuals with different (multimorbid) mental disorders. It addresses three main questions: 1) whether self-referent memory bias is indeed a transdiagnostic mechanism, 2) how it relates to amygdala sensitivity as neural correlate, and 3) how it might eventually be used in clinical practice. The results support the relevance of self-referent memory bias across diagnostic categories, highlight its association with altered emotional brain mechanisms, and pushes the implementation into clinical practice forward.