Are memories for sexually traumatic events "special"? A within-subjects investigation of trauma and memory in a clinical sample

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dc.contributor.authorPeace, Kristine
dc.contributor.authorPorter, Stephen
dc.contributor.authorBrinke, Leanne ten
dc.date.accessioned2017-03-28
dc.date.accessioned2022-05-28T00:36:46Z
dc.date.available2022-05-28T00:36:46Z
dc.date.issued2008
dc.description.abstractAccording to a long-standing clinical tradition, sexually traumatic experiences are processed and recalled differently from other experiences, often leading to memory impairment. In this study, we compared the characteristics of traumatic memories for sexual violence and two other types of emotional experiences. N=44 women recruited from a local sexual trauma agency were asked to recall and describe three autobiographical events: sexual abuse/assault, a non-sexual trauma, and a positive emotional event. The characteristics of the three memory types were compared on both subjective and objective measures. Further, the potential influences of level of traumatic impact and dissociation were assessed. Results indicated that memories for sexual trauma were not impaired or fragmented relative to other memories. Instead, memories for sexual trauma were associated with a remarkably high level of vividness, detail, and sensory components. Further, high levels of traumatic impact were not associated with memory impairment. Implications for the ongoing traumatic memory debate are discussed.
dc.description.urihttps://library.macewan.ca/cgi-bin/SFX/url.pl/928
dc.identifier.citationPeace, K. A., & Porter, S., & ten Brinke, L. (2008). Are memories for sexually traumatic events “special”? A within-subjects investigation of trauma and memory in a clinical sample. Memory, 16, 10-21. doi: 10.1080/09658210701363583
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1080/09658210701363583
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14078/764
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen
dc.rightsAll Rights Reserved
dc.subjectsex crimes
dc.subjectemotional trauma
dc.subjectmemory disorders
dc.subjectsexual abuse victims
dc.subjecttraumatic shock
dc.subjectposttraumatic stress disorder
dc.subjectPTSD
dc.titleAre memories for sexually traumatic events "special"? A within-subjects investigation of trauma and memory in a clinical sample
dc.typeArticle
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