Emotional Closeness with Perpetrators and Amnesia for Child Sexual Abuse

Schultz, Tammy; Passmore, J. Laurence; Yoder, Carol Y.

doi:10.1037/e416902005-259

Cited by 9 publications

(13 citation statements)

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“…These results contrast with some previous findings indicating that incest had a greater impact on the development of adult psychoform dissociation (Lipschitz et al, 1996;Teicher et al, 2006). There are several possible explanations for this discrepancy: First, a closer relationship with the perpetrator(s) might lead to a reluctance to report, and/or a decreased memory for, the sexual abuse (Schultz et al, 2003) compared to sexual harassment without physical contact. Second, intra-familial sexual abuse may be associated with specific types of dissociation, such as dissociative identity disturbances, which are not selectively captured by the DES-Taxon.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 56%

Characteristics of Child Maltreatment and Their Relation to Dissociation, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, and Depression in Adult Psychiatric Patients

Mueller‐Pfeiffer¹,

Moergeli²,

Schumacher³

et al. 2013

Journal of Nervous &Amp; Mental Disease

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Abstract:Little is known about the influence of particular characteristics of childhood maltreatment, such as developmental stage, relationship to the perpetrator and nature of the trauma, on adult psychopathology. The effects of childhood maltreatment were assessed in adult psychiatric patients (N=287) using self-rating scales and diagnostic checklists. Maltreatment was strongly associated with dissociation. This relationship was observed for all childhood developmental stages and was strongest when the perpetrator was outside the family. Dissociation was more strongly correlated with childhood emotional abuse and sexual harassment, than with sexual or physical abuse. Childhood sexual abuse was found to be associated with symptoms of posttraumatic stress. Findings suggest that dissociation is a relatively specific consequence of childhood maltreatment that is largely independent of the familial relationship to the perpetrator or the child's developmental stage. Keywords: Dissociation, Child Abuse, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder 3The World Health Organization defines child maltreatment as "all forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitation, resulting in actual or potential harm to the child's health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power" (World Health Organization, 1999). Dissociation, mood disorders, anxiety and posttraumatic stress symptoms are believed to constitute potential sequelae of childhood trauma (Fairbank et al, 2007;Heim et al, 2001;Spertus et al, 2003;Van der Hart et al, 2006). However, it is not clear what aspects of childhood maltreatment influence the development and nature of trauma-related symptoms.Dissociation related to trauma may involve disruptions or breakdowns of memory, awareness, identity and/or perception ("psychoform dissociation") as well as losses or distortion of sensory, perceptual, affective or motor functions ("somatoform dissociation") ( Van der Hart et al, 2004). Current theories about the development of severe dissociation emphasize the role of early onset chronic abuse and neglect from primary caregivers in childhood (Liotti, 2006;Van der Hart et al, 2006). There is ample evidence supporting the strong association between childhood maltreatment and dissociative psychopathology (Chu et al, 1999;Draijer et al, 1999;Nijenhuis et al, 1998;Ogawa et al, 1997;. Not all traumatized children develop dissociative symptoms and other factors, such as severity of abuse, numbers of perpetrators, the victim's coping style and affect modulation capacities, may moderate its relationship with maltreatment (Briere, 2006;Lange et al, 1999). This also holds true for the relationship between posttraumatic stress symptoms, depression and childhood maltreatment; victims of child abuse are at increased risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder and depressive disorder, but childhood victimization alone is not sufficient to cause these disorders (Ch...

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 56%

Characteristics of Child Maltreatment and Their Relation to Dissociation, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, and Depression in Adult Psychiatric Patients

Mueller‐Pfeiffer¹,

Moergeli²,

Schumacher³

et al. 2013

Journal of Nervous &Amp; Mental Disease

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“…Research by Schultz et al (2003) and a doctoral dissertation by Stoler (2000;also see Stoler, 2001) have revealed similar results. For instance, Schultz et al (2003, p. 67) noted that ''Participants reporting memory disturbances also reported significantly higher numbers of perpetrators, chemical abuse in their families, and closer relationships with the perpetrator(s) than participants reporting no memory disturbances.…”

Section: Empirical Research Evidence For Knowledge Isolationsupporting

confidence: 66%

“…Studies from this correlational line of research also indicate reduced recall in the case of abuse by caregivers or close others (e.g., Edwards, Fivush, Anda, Felitti, & Nordenberg, 2001;Freyd et al, 2001;Schultz et al, 2003;Sheiman, 1999;Stoler, 2000). In writing her book more than a decade ago, Freyd (1996) reported finding, from re-analyses of a number of relevant data sets, that incestuous abuse was more likely to be forgotten than non-incestuous abuse.…”

Section: Empirical Research Evidence For Knowledge Isolationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Not a single one of the 68 data-based studies failed to find it'' (p. 126). This body of work includes prospective (e.g., Williams, 1994Williams, , 1995 and retrospective (Elliot, 1997;Feldman-Summers & Pope, 1994;Freyd, DePrince, & Zurbriggen, 2001;Schultz, Passmore, & Yoder, 2003;Sheiman, 1999;Stoler, 2000) methods. Cases of amnesia have also been documented for corroborated cases of abuse (Cheit, 2005).…”

Section: Empirical Research Evidence For Knowledge Isolationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The state of betrayal trauma theory: Reply to McNally—Conceptual issues, and future directions

Freyd¹,

DePrince²,

Gleaves³

2007

Memory

150

120

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“…Similar patterns were observed in Feldman-Summers and Pope's data (53% versus 30% forgetting for those abused by a parent or stranger respectively). Increased subjective reports of forgetting for caregiver-related abuse has been subsequently reported in other studies (e.g., Freyd, DePrince, & Zurbriggen, 2006 ;Schultz, Passmore, & Yodor, 2003 ;see Freyd, DePrince, & Gleaves, 2007 ;DePrince et al, 2012 , this volume, for reviews), although it has not been in observed samples in which abuse was likely to have been publicly disclosed in childhood (Goodman et al, 2003 ) .…”

Section: An Observation and A Hypothesismentioning

confidence: 95%

Towards a Cognitive and Neurobiological Model of Motivated Forgetting

Anderson

Huddleston

2011

Nebraska Symposium on Motivation

150

149

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Historically, research on forgetting has been dominated by the assumption that forgetting is passive, refl ecting decay, interference, and changes in context. This emphasis arises from the pervasive assumption that forgetting is a negative outcome. Here, we present a functional view of forgetting in which the fate of experience in memory is determined as much by motivational forces that dictate the focus of attention as it is by passive factors. A central tool of motivated forgetting is retrieval suppression, a process whereby people shut down episodic retrieval to control awareness. We review behavioral, neurobiological, and clinical research and show that retrieval suppression leads us to forget suppressed experiences. We discuss key questions necessary to address to develop this model, relationships to other forgetting phenomena, and the implications of this research for understanding recovered memories. This work provides a foundation for understanding how motivational forces infl uence what we remember of life experience.

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Emotional Closeness with Perpetrators and Amnesia for Child Sexual Abuse

Cited by 9 publications

References 0 publications

Characteristics of Child Maltreatment and Their Relation to Dissociation, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, and Depression in Adult Psychiatric Patients

Characteristics of Child Maltreatment and Their Relation to Dissociation, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, and Depression in Adult Psychiatric Patients

The state of betrayal trauma theory: Reply to McNally—Conceptual issues, and future directions

Towards a Cognitive and Neurobiological Model of Motivated Forgetting

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