From the archive: ‘Psychotherapy and memories of childhood sexual abuse: A cognitive perspective’ by D. S. Lindsay & J. D. Read (1994). Applied Cognitive Psychology, 8, 281–338 with commentary

摘要

Cognitive psychological research on the fallibility of human memory is reviewed, focusing on evidence of memory distortions and illusions, with the aim of sharing research on memory with clinical psychologists and practitioners who use memory recovery techniques to help clients recover memories of suspected childhood sexual abuse. The authors' review of the memory literature suggested that incautious use of memory recovery techniques may lead some adult clients who were not abused to come to believe that they were. They consider current methods of assessing whether or not clients have repressed memories of childhood sexual abuse and techniques to minimise the risk of creating illusory memories or beliefs.