[Subjective memory complaints in young adults: the influence of the emotional state].

: INTRODUCTION. Many young people today display memory complaints that are not linked to their real cognitive performance. A number of studies have sought to identify the factors involved in this problem, such as anxious-depressive symptoms, the variables of anxiety traditionally being measured as somatic or cognitive manifestations with an activation that is unspecific or not linked to any particular stimulus. AIMS. To perform an exploratory analysis to determine the role played by symptoms of depression and of various subtypes of specific and unspecific anxiety in memory complaints in young adults. PATIENTS AND METHODS. The sample used in this study was made of 193 university students, 71% of whom were females, with a mean age of 22.22 ± 3.67 years. The variable 'Memory complaints' was measured with the Memory Failures Questionnaire, and the Brief Symptom Check List was used to measure the variables 'Depression', 'Social anxiety', 'Obsessive-compulsive anxiety', 'Agoraphobic anxiety', 'Somatisation' and 'Insomnia'. RESULTS. The variables of specific anxiety show a greater correlation with memory complaints than unspecific anxiety. Multiple regression analysis explained 34.9% of the variance of memory complaints, although the only variable that made a significant contribution was 'Social anxiety', which alone explains 34.4%. CONCLUSIONS. A distinct influence between the different types of anxiety and memory complaints has been observed. The findings obtained are a novelty in this area of knowledge by pointing to a greater relevance of the variables of specific anxiety in comparison to unspecific anxiety in explaining memory complaints and the need to take a personalised approach. : Introduccion. Actualmente, muchos jovenes manifiestan quejas de memoria no vinculadas al rendimiento cognitivo real. Diversos estudios han tratado de identificar los factores involucrados en esta problematica, entre ellos, la sintomatologia ansioso-depresiva, midiendose tradicionalmente las variables de ansiedad como manifestaciones somaticas o cognitivas de activacion inespecifica o no vinculadas a ningun estimulo concreto. Objetivo. Determinar mediante un analisis exploratorio la contribucion de la sintomatologia depresiva y de varios subtipos de ansiedad especifica e inespecifica en las quejas de memoria en adultos jovenes. Pacientes y metodos. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 193 universitarios, el 71% mujeres, con una edad media de 22,22 ± 3,67 anos. La variable 'Quejas de memoria' se midio con el cuestionario de fallos de memoria, y las variables 'Depresion', 'Ansiedad social', 'Ansiedad obsesivo-compulsiva', 'Ansiedad agorafobica', 'Somatizacion' e 'Insomnio', con el listado de sintomas breve. Resultados. Las variables de ansiedad especifica presentan mayor correlacion con las quejas de memoria que la ansiedad inespecifica. El analisis de regresion multiple explico un 34,9% de la varianza de las quejas de memoria, aunque la unica variable con aportacion significativa fue 'Ansiedad social', que explica por si sola el 34,4%. Conclusion. Se ha observado la existencia de una influencia diferenciada entre los distintos tipos de ansiedad y las quejas de memoria. Los resultados obtenidos suponen una novedad en esta area de conocimiento, senalando la mayor relevancia de las variables de ansiedad especifica frente a la ansiedad inespecifica para explicar las quejas de memoria y la necesidad de realizar un abordaje personalizado.