Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T03:18:15.299Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Autobiographical Memory in Children and Adolescents With Acute Stress and Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 August 2013

Reginald D.V. Nixon ,
Shelly-Anne Ball ,
Jisca Sterk ,
Talitha Best  and
Lisa Beatty
Reginald D.V. Nixon*
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Shelly-Anne Ball
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Jisca Sterk
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Talitha Best
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Lisa Beatty
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
*
Address for correspondence: Reginald D.V. Nixon, School of Psychology, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide SA 5001, Australia. Email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

Children exposed to traumatic events either recently (Study 1) or in the past (Study 2) were administered the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT). In Study 1 (N = 67), when asked to retrieve memories from the 24-hour period following their trauma, children with higher levels of acute stress disorder symptoms retrieved a greater number of specific memories on the AMT than either children with low acute stress levels or hospital control children; no difference between groups was observed when memories were retrieved from a period that predated their trauma. However, in Study 2 (N = 67) children with posttraumatic stress disorder retrieved fewer specific memories than non-PTSD controls. The two studies represent the first occasions that AMT performance has been examined in acutely traumatised children and in a sample of children stringently diagnosed with PTSD respectively. The findings underscore the need for further prospective research with clinical samples of children who have experienced trauma.

Keywords

autobiographical memoryAMTtraumaPTSDchildren
Type
Standard Papers
Information
Behaviour Change , Volume 30 , Issue 3 , September 2013 , pp. 180 - 198
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Australian Academic Press Pty Ltd 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Brennen, T., Hasanovic, M., Zotovic, M., Blix, I., Solheim Skar, A.-M., Prelic, N.K., . . . Gavrilov-Jerkovic, V. (2010). Trauma exposure in childhood impairs the ability to recall specific autobiographical memories in late adolescence. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 23, 240–247. doi:10.1002/jts.20513CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bryant, R.A., Sutherland, K., & Guthrie, R.M. (2007). Impaired specific autobiographical memory as a risk factor for posttraumatic stress after trauma. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 116, 837–841. doi:10.1037/0021-843X.116.4.837CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carrion, V.G., Weems, C.F., Ray, R., & Reiss, A.L. (2002). Toward an empirical definition of pediatric PTSD: The phenomenology of PTSD symptoms in youth. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 41, 167–173. doi:10.1097/00004583-200202000-00010Google ScholarPubMed
Conway, M.A., & Pleydell-Pearce, C.W. (2000). The Construction of Autobiographcial Memories in the Self-Memory System. Psychological Review, 107, 261–288. doi:10.1037/0033-295X.107.2.261CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dalgleish, T., Rolfe, J., Golden, A., Dunn, B.D., & Barnard, P.J. (2008). Reduced autobiographical memory specificity and posttraumatic stress: exploring the contributions of impaired executive control and affect regulation. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 117, 236–241. doi:10.1037/0021-843X.117.1.236CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dalgleish, T., Williams, J., Golden, A.-M.J., Perkins, N., Barrett, L.F., Barnard, P.J., . . . Watkins, E. (2007). Reduced specificity of autobiographical memory and depression: The role of executive control. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 136, 23–42. doi:10.1037/0096-3445.136.1.23CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
de Decker, A., Hermans, D., Raes, F., & Eelen, P. (2003). Autobiographical memory specificity and trauma in inpatient adolescents. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 32, 22–31. doi:10.1207/15374420360533031CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Drummond, L.E., Dritschel, B., Astell, A., O’Carroll, R.E., & Dalgleish, T. (2006). Effects of age, dysphoria, and emotion-focusing on autobiographical memory specificity in children. Cognition and Emotion, 20, 488–505. doi:10.1080/02699930500341342Google Scholar
Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Lang, A.-G., & Buchner, A. (2007). G*Power 3: A flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Behavior Research Methods, 39, 175–191.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Foa, E.B., Johnson, K.M., Feeny, N.C., & Treadwell, K.R. (2001). The Child PTSD Symptom Scale: A preliminary examination of its psychometric properties. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 30, 376–384. doi:10.1207/S15374424JCCP3003_9CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Golden, A.-M., Dalgleish, T., & Mackintosh, B. (2007). Levels of Specificity of Autobiographical Memories and of Biographical Memories of the Deceased in Bereaved Individuals With and Without Complicated Grief. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 116, 786–795. doi:10.1037/0021-843X.116.4.786CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Griffith, J.W., Sumner, J.A., Debeer, E., Raes, F., Hermans, D., Mineka, S., Zinbarg, R.E., & Craske, M.G. (2009). An item response theory/confirmatory factor analysis of the Autobiographical Memory Test. Memory, 17, 609–623. doi:10.1080/09658210902939348CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Griffith, J.W., Sumner, J.A., Raes, F., Barnhofer, T., Debeer, E., & Hermans, D. (2012). Current psychometric and methodological issues in the measurement of overgeneral autobiographical memory. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 43 (Suppl. 1), S21–S31. doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2011.05.008CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harvey, A.G., Bryant, R.A., & Dang, S.T. (1998). Autobiographical memory in acute stress disorder. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66, 500–506. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.66.3.500CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hipwell, A.E., Sapotichne, B., Klostermann, S., Battista, D., & Keenan, K. (2011). Autobiographical memory as a predictor of depression vulnerability in girls. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 40, 254–265. doi:10.1080/15374416.2011.546037CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kangas, M., Henry, J.L., & Bryant, R.A. (2005). A prospective study of autobiographical memory and posttraumatic stress disorder following cancer. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73, 293–299. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.73.2.293CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kleim, B., & Ehlers, A. (2008). Reduced autobiographical memory specificity predicts depression and posttraumatic stress disorder after recent trauma. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 76, 231–242. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.76.2.231CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kovacs, M. (1992). Children's Depression Inventory — Manual. NY: Multi-Health Systems, Inc.Google Scholar
Kuyken, W., Howell, R., & Dalgleish, T. (2006). Overgeneral autobiographical memory in depressed adolescents with, versus without, a reported history of trauma. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 115, 387–396. doi:10.1037/0021-843X.115.3.387CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kuyken, W., & Brewin, C.R. (1995). Autobiographical memory functioning in depression and reports of early abuse. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 104, 585–591. doi:10.1037/0021-843X.104.4.585CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mackinger, H.F., Pachinger, M.M., Leibetseder, M.M., & Fartacek, R.R. (2000). Autobiographical memories in women remitted from major depression. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 109, 331–334.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Meesters, C., Merckelbach, H., Muris, P., & Wessel, I. (2000). Autobiographical memory and trauma in adolescents. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 31, 29–39. doi:10.1016/S0005-7916%2800%2900006-9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Miller, G.A., & Chapman, J.P. (2001). Misunderstanding analysis of covariance. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 110, 40–48. doi:10.1037//0021-843X.110.1.10CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Moore, S.A., & Zoellner, L.A. (2007). Overgeneral autobiographical memory and traumatic events: An evaluative review. Psychological Bulletin, 133, 419–437. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.133.3.419CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nader, K.O., Newman, E., Weathers, F.W., Kaloupek, D.G., Kriegler, J.A., Blake, D.D., & Pynoos, R.S. (1998). Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for Children and Adolescents (CAPS-CA) (Revised for DSM-IV, October 1998 ed.). Boston: National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.Google Scholar
Nixon, R.D.V., Ellis, A.E., Nehmy, T.J., & Ball, S. (2010). Screening and predicting posttraumatic stress and depression in children following single-incident trauma. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 39, 588–596.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Neshat-Doost, H.T., Dalgleish, T., Yule, W., Kalantari, M., Ahmadi, S.J., Dyregrov, A., & Jobson, L. (2012). Enhancing autobiographical memory specificity through cognitive training. Clinical Psychological Science. Advance online publication. doi:10.1177/2167702612454613Google Scholar
Pynoos, R.S., Frederick, C., Nader, K., Arroyo, W., Steinberg, A., Eth, S., Nunez, F., & Fairbanks, L. (1987). Life threat and posttraumatic stress in school-aged children. Archives of General Psychiatry, 44, 1057–1063.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raes, F., Hermans, D., de Decker, A., Eelen, P., & Williams, J.M.G. (2003). Autobiographical memory specificity and affect regulation: An experimental approach. Emotion, 3, 201–206. doi:10.1037/1528-3542.3.2.201CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sattler, J.M. (2001). Assessment of children: Cognitive applications (4th ed.). La Mesa, CA: Jerome M Sattler Publisher.Google Scholar
Stokes, D., Dritschel, B., & Bekerian, D. (2004). The effect of burn injury on adolescents autobiographical memory. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 42, 1357–1365. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2003.10.003CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sumner, J.A. (2011). The mechanisms underlying overgeneral autobiographical memory: An evaluative review of evidence for the CaR-FA-X model. Clinical Psychology Review, 32, 34–48. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2011.10.003CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sumner, J.A., Griffith, J.W., & Mineka, S. (2010). Overgeneral autobiographical memory as a predictor of the course of depression: A meta-analysis. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 48, 614–625. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2010.03.013CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sumner, J.A., Griffith, J.W., Mineka, S., Rekart, K.N., Zinbarg, R.E., & Craske, M.G. (2011). Overgeneral autobiographical memory and chronic interpersonal stress as predictors of the course of depression in adolescents. Cognition and Emotion, 25, 183–192. doi:10.1080/02699931003741566CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sutherland, K., & Bryant, R.A. (2007). Autobiographical memory in posttraumatic stress disorder before and after treatment. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45, 2915–2923. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2007.08.009CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Valentino, K. (2011). A developmental psychopathology model of overgeneral autobiographical memory. Developmental Review, 31, 32–54. doi:10.1016/j.dr.2011.05.001CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Valentino, K., Toth, S.L., & Cicchetti, D. (2009). Autobiographical memory functioning among abused, neglected, and nonmaltreated children: The overgeneral memory effect. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 50, 1029–1038. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2009.02072.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wechsler, D. (2003). Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (4th ed.). San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar
Williams, J.M.G. (1996). Depression and the specificity of autobiographical memory Remembering our past: Studies in autobiographical memory (pp. 244–267). New York: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Williams, J.M., & Broadbent, K. (1986). Autobiographical memory in suicide attempters. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 95, 114–149.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Williams, J.M.G., Barnhofer, T., Crane, C., Hermans, D., Raes, F., Watkins, E., & Dalgleish, T. (2007). Autobiographical memory specificity and emotional disorder. Psychological Bulletin, 133, 122–148. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.133.1.122CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wilson, M.D. (1988). The MRC Psycholinguistic Database: Machine readable dictionary, Version 2. Behavioural Research Methods, Instruments and Computers, 20 (1), 6–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wisco, B.E., & Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2010). Valence of autobiographical memories: The role of mood, cognitive reappraisal, and suppression. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 48, 335–340. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2009.11.009CrossRefGoogle Scholar