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The impact of momentary stress on autobiographical memory recall in a self-efficacy intervention
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Description: Autobiographical memories hold multifaceted roles in individuals' lives. Recalling positive autobiographical memories has been associated with various positive psychological outcomes, including enhanced mental well-being and self-efficacy. Given the known impact of stress on cognitive functioning, we investigated how momentary stress affects the recall of priorly defined autobiographical self-efficacy memories in a self-efficacy training aiming to enhance self-efficacy. Participants (N = 54) engaged in the digital self-efficacy training for one week, with momentary stress levels, memory vividness and recall feasibility assessed through Ecological Momentary Assessment. Linear mixed effects models were used to analyze the data. Participants reported greater difficulty and less vividness in recalling self-efficacy memories during moments of increased stress, whereas feeling relaxed facilitated recall feasibility and vividness. Participants who experienced less recall difficulty showed greater improvement in self-efficacy post-intervention. Our findings underscore the importance of considering momentary affect in memory-based interventions. Our study highlights the potential benefits of combining memory recall practices with relaxation-promoting interventions to enhance outcomes.