Introduction: Memory performance of patients with diabetes can be influenced by different physical and psychological factors. One of high prevalent psychological disorders in these patients that can influence their memory performance is depression. To investigate this effect, this research aimed to compare retrospective, everyday and prospective memory performance of depressed and non-depressed patients with type 2 diabetes versus healthy controls.
Method: The present study is Causal-Comparative research. Its statistical society is patients with type 2 diabetes who visited endocrinologists during Iranian years of 1391 and 1392 in the central city of Isfahan. The research sample were 48 patients (24 depressed, 24 non-depressed patients) and 24 healthy controls selected via convenience sampling. Groups were matched in age, education, duration of disease and glucose in blood after eating. They were assessed through the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Everyday Memory Questionnaire (EMQ) and Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ).
Results: The results indicated significant differences in retrospective (p<0/02) and everyday memory (p<0/008) performance between the three groups. But no meaningful error in their prospective memory.
Conclusion: Psychological factors such as depression can have effects on retrospective and everyday memory performance of patients with type 2 diabetes and depression can intensify memory deficits of these patients.