Comparing Children’s Memories for Negative Versus Positive Events in the Context of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms

Bray, Jemma; Brewer, Neil; Cameron, Kate L; Nixon, Reginald D. V.

doi:10.1016/j.beth.2017.03.006

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…As an explanation, elevated emotional distress (Engelhard, van den Hout, & McNally, 2008;McNally, 2003) and affect intensity (Rubin, Boals, & Berntsen, 2008;Tull, Jakupcak, McFadden, & Roemer, 2007) among trauma-exposed samples may enhance the recall of positive memory phenomenological qualities. Complicating this issue, Bray, Brewer, Cameron, and Nixon (2018) found no comparative difference in the coherence of positive and negative narratives among children with high vs. low PTSD severity, Berliner et al (2003) found that children receiving trauma intervention reported no difference in temporal details of their positive and traumatic memories, and some research indicates no comparative difficulties in recalling non-visual sensory details of positive and negative event memories (Byrne et al, 2001;Waters et al, 2013) even when comparing individuals with high vs. low PTSD severity (Megías et al, 2007). This pattern of mixed findings may be attributed to differences in methodology and sample characteristics (Sotgiu & Mormont, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Relation between PTSD symptom clusters and positive memory characteristics: A network perspective

Contractor

Greene

Dolan

et al. 2020

Journal of Anxiety Disorders

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Positive memory characteristics relate to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) severity. We utilized a network approach to examine relations between PTSD clusters (intrusions, avoidance, negative alterations in cognitions and mood [NACM], alterations in arousal and reactivity [AAR]) and positive memory characteristics (count, valence, vividness, coherence, time perspective, sensory details). We identified differential relations between PTSD clusters and positive memory characteristics, and central/bridging symptoms. Participants were an Amazon Mechanical Turkrecruited sample of 206 participants (M age = 35.36; 61.20% females). We estimated a regularized Gaussian Graphic Model comprising four nodes representing the PTSD clusters and six nodes representing positive memory characteristics. Regarding cross-community relations, AAR (highest node strength) was negatively associated with positive memory count, valence, coherence, and access; avoidance was positively and negatively associated with positive memory vividness and count respectively. The NACM-AAR and intrusion-avoidance edges were significantly stronger than most edges. From the PTSD community, AAR and avoidance had the highest bridge strength and bridge expected influence respectively; from the positive memory community, coherence and vividness had the highest bridge strength and bridge expected influence respectively. Results indicate the potential pivotal role of AAR, avoidance, coherence, and vividness in the PTSDpositive memory relation, which renders them assessment/treatment targets pending further investigation.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Relation between PTSD symptom clusters and positive memory characteristics: A network perspective

Contractor

Greene

Dolan

et al. 2020

Journal of Anxiety Disorders

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“…Cognitive theory suggests this is, in part, due to elaboration and subsequent reintegration of trauma memories. However, as noted by other authors, perceptions of trauma memory characteristics may represent a more important factor than narrative memory characteristics themselves (Bray et al, 2018 ; McGuire et al, 2021 ; McKinnon et al, 2017 ). It would be interesting to explore whether this may be related to negative appraisals, a cognitive factor consistently identified as important in the aetiology of PTSD (Gómez de La Cuesta et al, 2019 ; Mitchell et al, 2017 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

Trauma Memory Characteristics and Neurocognitive Performance in Youth Exposed to Single-Event Trauma

Reed,

Meiser-Stedman,

Dalgleish

et al. 2024

Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol

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Cognitive models of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) highlight characteristics of trauma memories, such as disorganisation, as key mechanisms in the aetiology of the disorder. However, studies investigating trauma memory in youth have provided inconsistent findings. Research has highlighted that PTSD in youth may be accompanied by difficulties in neurocognitive functioning, potentially impacting ability to recall the trauma memory. The present study sought to investigate both trauma memory characteristics and neurocognitive functioning in youth aged 8–17 years. Youths exposed to single-event trauma, with (N = 29, Mage = 13.6, 21 female) and without (N = 40, Mage = 13.3, 21 female) a diagnosis of PTSD, completed self-report measures of trauma memory, a narrative memory task and a set of neurocognitive tests two to six months post-trauma. A group of non trauma-exposed youths (N = 36, Mage = 13.9, 27 female) were compared on narrative and neurocognitive tasks. Results indicated that trauma memories in youth with, versus without, PTSD were more sensory-laden, temporally disrupted, difficult to verbally access, and formed a more ‘central’ part of their identity. Greater differences were observed for self-reported memory characteristics compared to narrative characteristics. No between group differences in neurocognitive function were observed. Self-reported trauma memory characteristics highlight an important factor in the aetiology of PTSD. The observed lack of significant differences in neurocognitive ability potentially suggests that cognitive factors represent a more relevant treatment target than neurocognitive factors in single-event PTSD. Further research to understand the cognitive factors represented by self-reported trauma memory characteristics is recommended.

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“…Four studies featured a cross‐sectional design, and seven featured a prospective longitudinal design. Only one study repeated the TMQQ at follow‐up (Bray et al., 2018). Table 2 specifies the PTSS measure used in each study.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Given the self‐report nature of the TMQQ, some authors have highlighted that the measure may tap into “meta‐memory” processes and suggested that negative perceptions of trauma memory characteristics may be more important in the aetiology of PTSD than specific memory characteristics themselves (Bray et al., 2018; McGuire et al., 2021; McKinnon et al., 2017). This is a valid argument given the strong empirical support for the role of negative appraisals in posttrauma reactions (Gómez de La Cuesta et al., 2019; Mitchell et al., 2017) and the assertion that PTSS are underpinned by multiple interacting cognitive factors, as outlined in cognitive models, rather than cognitive factors that operate in isolation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations between the Trauma Memory Quality Questionnaire and posttraumatic stress symptoms in youth: A systematic review and meta‐analysis 

Reed

Taylor

Randall

et al. 2023

Journal of Traumatic Stress

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Cognitive models of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) propose that trauma memory characteristics are implicated in the etiology of the disorder. Empirical support for cognitive models in youth is necessary to ensure psychological interventions are based on appropriate theory. This meta-analysis was conducted to quantitatively investigate the strength of the associations between self-reported trauma memory characteristics (e.g., sensory and temporal features), measured using the Trauma Memory Quality Questionnaire (TMQQ), and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in children and adolescents. PsycINFO, MEDLINE, CINAHL, PTSDPubs, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global were searched for relevant literature. In total, 11 studies (N = 1,270 participants) met the inclusion criteria for the random-effects meta-analysis. A large effect size was observed for the association between trauma memory characteristics and PTSS, r = .51, 95% CI [.44, .58], and was maintained in subgroup analyses of the prospective association between trauma memory characteristics and later PTSS (k = 5, n = 6 28), r = .51, 95% CI [.42, .59]. A slightly larger effect size was observed in subgroup analyses of the cross-sectional association between trauma memory characteristics and concurrent PTSS (k = 11, N = 1,270), r = .62, 95% CI [.53, .70]. Sensitivity analyses on study quality, TMQQ alteration, chronic trauma exposure, geographical location, and PTSS measure supported the robustness of these results. These findings provide empirical support for the role of trauma memory characteristics in PTSS, congruent with cognitive models, suggesting this theoretical framework is appropriate for youth populations. Limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed.

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Comparing Children’s Memories for Negative Versus Positive Events in the Context of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms

Cited by 6 publications

References 37 publications

Relation between PTSD symptom clusters and positive memory characteristics: A network perspective

Relation between PTSD symptom clusters and positive memory characteristics: A network perspective

Trauma Memory Characteristics and Neurocognitive Performance in Youth Exposed to Single-Event Trauma

Associations between the Trauma Memory Quality Questionnaire and posttraumatic stress symptoms in youth: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

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