Distant Memories A Prospective Study of Vantage Point of Trauma Memories

摘要

Adopting an observer perspective to recall trauma memories may function as a form of avoidance that maintains posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We conducted a prospective study to analyze the relationship between memory vantage point and PT SD symptoms. Participants (N = 947) identified the vantage point of their trauma memory and reported PTSD symptoms within 4 weeks of the trauma; 730 participants repeated this pro_cess 12 months later. Initially recalling the trauma from an observer vantage point was related to more severe PT SD symptoms at that time and 12 months later. Shifting from a field to an observer perspective a year after trauma was associated with greater PTSD severity at 12 months. These results suggest that remembering trauma from an observer vantage point is related to both immediate and ongoing PT SD symptoms.