Relationships between memory inconsistency for traumatic events following 9/11 and PTSD in disaster restoration workers

Giosan, Cezar; Malta, Loretta S.; Jayasinghe, Nimali; Spielman, Lisa; Difede, JoAnn

doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2008.11.004

Cited by 27 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…However, Wessely et al found that increased reporting of military hazards, often potentially toxic exposures, was associated with veterans' perception of worsening physical health over time rather than worsening self-reported PTSD symptoms. Comparable findings have also been reported in civilian samples (e.g., Giosan, Malta, Jayasinghe, Spielman, & Difede, 2009). Most studies used standardised questionnaires or interviews, rather than a free recall reporting of a traumatic memory [but see Dekel and Bonanno (2013), for a recent exception].…”

supporting

confidence: 82%

“…Earlier research has shown that memory inconsistencies are associated with PTSD symptoms: the more PTSD symptoms over time, the more participants change their initial non-endorsement of traumatic events to endorsement (e.g., Engelhard et al, 2008;Giosan et al, 2009;Schwarz et al, 1993;Southwick et al, 1997). In the current study, PTSD symptoms were generally low, which may …”

Section: Metacognitive Appraisal 977mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Metacognitive appraisal of memory inconsistency for traumatic events in Dutch veterans

Engelhard

McNally

2014

Memory

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Although memories of traumatic events are often remembered vividly, these memories are subject to change over time. In our previous study, we found that Dutch infantry veterans who had served in Iraq often reported stressful events at a second assessment point that they had not reported during a prior assessment point and vice versa. In the present exploratory study, we recontacted subjects from this previous study and asked how they explained the discrepancy in their memory reports between post-deployment assessment points 1 and 2. Common explanations were: interpreting the item differently, having forgotten the incident initially, repression and having accidentally incorporated someone else's experience into their own memory. Although such reports are not necessarily revelatory of the mechanisms driving discrepancies in memory reports over time, our study illuminates the metacognitive variables involved.

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supporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Metacognitive Appraisal 977mentioning

confidence: 99%

Metacognitive appraisal of memory inconsistency for traumatic events in Dutch veterans

Engelhard

McNally

2014

Memory

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“…The researchers re-interviewed participants a year later. 8 Almost half (45.7%) of those who said that they were not disturbed by a smell at ground zero during the first interview 'remembered' being disturbed by the smell a year later. Moreover, 20.9% and 15.8% remembered attending a funeral of someone killed by the attack or feeling their life was in danger at the second interview, but not the first.…”

Section: Memory Formation I Research Reportmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies of people who witnessed a school shooting and Gulf War veterans confirm that reactivated traumatic memories can include 'fabricated' details. 8…”

Section: Memory Formation I Research Reportmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lest we forget: towards therapeutic amnesia

Greener¹

2019

Prog Neurol Psychiatry

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“…For example, findings in Giosan et al (2009) might be understood as a function of reconsolidation in that restoration workers experienced a number of subsequent similar events that may have altered their initial memories. The experimental research 1 Items included the following: witnessed people jumping from the towers; saw human remains ("bodies, body bags, or body parts"); con cerned (during the attacks) about someone who was at the World Trade Center; knew someone injured in the attack; knew someone killed in the attack; attended funerals or memorial services; assisted people affected by the attack, displaced from residence, had to be evacuated for safety while working at the site; perceived life danger while working at the site; and being disturbed by the smell while working at the site.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Memories of traumatic events in childhood fade after experiencing similar less stressful events: Results from two natural experiments.

Weems¹,

Russell²,

Banks³

et al. 2014

Journal of Experimental Psychology: General

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The long-term stability of youth reports of traumatic events is largely unknown. Translational animal research suggests that there may be an alteration of memories for traumatic events via memory reconsolidation processes, whereas clinical research suggests memory alteration may occur through augmentation by negative emotions. In this report, 2 natural experiments test reconsolidation model and augmentation model predictions about the course of traumatic memories in youth. Data are from 2 prospective studies that assessed reports of an initial traumatic event (Hurricane Katrina) and tested recall both pre and post a similar event (Hurricane Gustav). In the 1st (Sample 1; n = 94, initial Grade 9 followed to 11), youth were assessed at 4 time points: Times 1-3 were 13, 20, and 26 months post-Katrina and then Time 4 was 5 months post-Hurricane Gustav. In the 2nd (Sample 2; n = 141, Grades 4 through 8), youth were assessed at 12 months pre-Gustav (Time 1; 24 months post-Katrina) and then again at 1 month (Time 2) and 8 months (Time 3) post-Gustav. Those with relatively high Gustav exposure showed more stability in their reports of Katrina exposure events, whereas in those with low Gustav exposure, reports of Katrina events decreased. Time spans between recall, age, gender, symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, or cognitive/learning ability did not explain changes in the reports. The study provides the 1st long-term data on the consistency of youth reports of disaster-related experiences and provides initial evidence for the ecological validity of memory reconsolidation theory applied to traumatic events in youth.

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Relationships between memory inconsistency for traumatic events following 9/11 and PTSD in disaster restoration workers

Cited by 27 publications

References 22 publications

Metacognitive appraisal of memory inconsistency for traumatic events in Dutch veterans

Metacognitive appraisal of memory inconsistency for traumatic events in Dutch veterans

Lest we forget: towards therapeutic amnesia

Memories of traumatic events in childhood fade after experiencing similar less stressful events: Results from two natural experiments.

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