or the use of additional measures, such as sentence-completion or a different cuing procedure, be utilized in the future to avoid any possible confounds due to the AMT. Secondly, there is a debate between coding OGM through the low number of specific memories ("low memory specificity") or through the high number of overgeneral memories ("high memory overgenerality"). Currently, these two constructs are considered the same within research, but there is cause for concern that they are not equal. In controlling for the possible difference, many meta-analyses will separate research studies based on which variable they use to code for OGM. Associations with mental health Depression Many research studies have shown a close association between depression and OGM. A study in 1988 found that in-patients with a primary diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder were more likely to display OGM as compared to a healthy control group. This was the first study of its kind to research the phenomenon of OGM in depressed individuals; prior to this study, OGM had only been found in patients who had attempted suicide. In 2007, a meta-analysis performed by Williams et al. show that OGM is highly associated with depressive symptoms across many studies. In fact, an overgeneral memory is found not only in individuals with MDD, but also in other affective disorders including postpartum depression, dysphoria, and bipolar disorder. While the 1988 study was influential for the course of future research on OGM and depression, it could not explain why OGM was more common in the depressed individuals, an issue that still plagues OGM research today. Though the causal direction of the relationship between OGM and depression is still uncertain, the presence of an overgeneral memory predicts the course and maintenance of depressive symptoms. For individuals who have seemed to recover from depression, memory often remains overgeneral. In addition, there is evidence that higher levels of OGM predict even greater depressive symptoms up to seven months later. There is considerable evidence that OGM maintains depressive symptoms and acts as a vulnerability factor for recurrence. Failure with interpersonal problem solving, increased rumination, difficulties imagining the future, and avoidance of negative emotions are all associated with OGM and are believed to be key factors in the maintenance of depression. Due to the vast research on depression and OGM, it has been widely accepted that an overgeneral memory is a risk factor for future episodes of depression and