Improving Outcome of Psychosocial Treatments by Enhancing Memory and Learning

Mental disorders are prevalent and disabling. While psychosocial treatments have strong evidence, effect sizes are often small to moderate, benefits may not persist, and many patients do not improve. The authors propose that integrating insights from cognitive psychology and education to enhance memory for therapy content could improve outcomes. Five lines of evidence motivate this: (a) mental illness commonly involves memory impairments, (b) such impairments are modifiable, (c) therapy often activates emotion, (d) emotion biases memory, and (e) memory for therapy sessions is poor. Drawing on learning and memory science, the paper derives transdiagnostic, transtreatment cognitive support strategies usable within/between sessions and in digital formats. Additional pathways to enhance memory include optimizing sleep, exercise, and imagery. Because memory processes vary across the lifespan, cognitive support may be particularly helpful for children and older adults.

Allison G. Harvey, Jason Lee, Joseph Williams, Steven D. Hollon, Matthew P. Walker, Monique A. Thompson, Rita Smith