Autobiographical memory refers to the recollection of personally experienced past events and is crucial for self-identity, orientation in the world, and goal pursuit. It plays a key role in social interactions and is influenced by various factors, including emotional states and trauma. Research indicates that emotionally disturbed individuals often recall events in categories rather than specific episodes, a phenomenon known as overgeneral memory. This tendency is linked to psychopathology, particularly depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Studies show that overgeneral memory is common in affective disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD), postnatal depression, and PTSD. Traumatic experiences are strongly associated with overgeneral memory, as individuals with a history of trauma tend to recall events in a more general way. However, not all psychological disorders exhibit this pattern; overgeneral memory is not found in general anxiety disorder, social phobia, or certain personality disorders. Overgeneral memory is associated with impaired problem-solving, difficulties in imagining future events, and delayed recovery from affective disorders. It is also linked to rumination and functional avoidance, where individuals avoid recalling traumatic memories to reduce emotional distress. The Conway and Pleydell-Pearce model of autobiographical memory suggests that overgeneral memory arises when retrieval processes are disrupted, often due to emotional distress or avoidance behaviors. Methodological limitations include variability in cue words, differences in memory ability, and confounding factors between depression and trauma history. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the causal relationship between overgeneral memory and trauma. The CaR-FA-X model proposes three mechanisms—capture and rumination, functional avoidance, and impaired executive control—that explain overgeneral memory. These mechanisms highlight the complex interplay between emotional processing, memory retrieval, and cognitive control in psychopathology.Autobiographical memory refers to the recollection of personally experienced past events and is crucial for self-identity, orientation in the world, and goal pursuit. It plays a key role in social interactions and is influenced by various factors, including emotional states and trauma. Research indicates that emotionally disturbed individuals often recall events in categories rather than specific episodes, a phenomenon known as overgeneral memory. This tendency is linked to psychopathology, particularly depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Studies show that overgeneral memory is common in affective disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD), postnatal depression, and PTSD. Traumatic experiences are strongly associated with overgeneral memory, as individuals with a history of trauma tend to recall events in a more general way. However, not all psychological disorders exhibit this pattern; overgeneral memory is not found in general anxiety disorder, social phobia, or certain personality disorders. Overgeneral memory is associated with impaired problem-solving, difficulties in imagining future events, and delayed recovery from affective disorders. It is also linked to rumination and functional avoidance, where individuals avoid recalling traumatic memories to reduce emotional distress. The Conway and Pleydell-Pearce model of autobiographical memory suggests that overgeneral memory arises when retrieval processes are disrupted, often due to emotional distress or avoidance behaviors. Methodological limitations include variability in cue words, differences in memory ability, and confounding factors between depression and trauma history. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the causal relationship between overgeneral memory and trauma. The CaR-FA-X model proposes three mechanisms—capture and rumination, functional avoidance, and impaired executive control—that explain overgeneral memory. These mechanisms highlight the complex interplay between emotional processing, memory retrieval, and cognitive control in psychopathology.