Semantic and Episodic Autobiographical Memory Recallfor Memories Not Directly Associated with ChildhoodSexual Abuse

摘要

A pattern of overgeneral autobiographical memoryrecall for memories not directly associated with the abuse hasbeen found in previous research. However, studies with a nonpsychiatric population are limited. In a non psychiatric studentpopulation sample, this study will use two methods ofaccessing autobiographical memory, The Children's Autobio-graphical Memory Inventory (CAMI) and the Autobiograph-ical Memory Task (AMT). Contrary to the predictions, thisstudy did not find that episodic recall to the AMT was lessspecific and episodic recall to the CAMI contained greaterdetail for both the abuse group and the trauma control groupcompared to a no trauma control group. Significant differ-ences were found between groups on personal semantic recallwith the CSA group reporting significantly lower semantic recallthan the two control groups. These fmdings are relevant totherapeutic interventions as well as having potential implicationsfor interviewing and obtaining statements to be used as evidence