Stressful Life Memories Relate to Ruminative Thoughts in Women With Sexual Violence History, Irrespective of PTSD

Abstract

More than one in every four women in the world experience sexual violence (SV) in their lifetime, most often as teenagers and young adults. These traumatic experiences leave memories in the brain, which are difficult if not impossible to forget. We asked whether women with SV history experience stronger memories of their most stressful life event than women without SV history and if so, whether strength relates to ruminative and trauma-related thoughts. Using the Autobiographical Memory Questionnaire (AMQ), women with SV history (n = 64) reported this memory as especially strong (p < 0.001), remembering more sensory and contextual details, compared to women without SV history (n = 119). They further considered the event a significant part of their personal life story. The strength of the memory was highly correlated with posttraumatic cognitions and ruminative thoughts, as well as symptoms of depression and anxiety (p's < 0.001, n = 183). A third (33%) of the women with SV history were diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but PTSD alone did not account for the increase in memory strength (p's < 0.001). These data suggest that the experience of SV increases the strength of stressful autobiographical memories, which are then reexperienced in everyday life during posttraumatic and ruminative thoughts. We propose that the repeated rehearsal of vivid stressful life memories generates more trauma memories in the brain, making the experience of SV even more difficult to forget.

A cross-sectional examination of sudden-death bereavement in university students

“…Rumination (self-punishment) was positively associated with depression, generalized anxiety, PTSD and CG symptomatology consistent with our hypotheses and the prior literature (Dar, 2015;Eisma et al, 2014;2015a;2015b;2017;Papargeorgiou & Wells, 2003;. Ruminations are generally can strengthen the loss narrative because the memory is repeatedly re-consolidated (Millon et al, 2018). A stressful event may also alter an individual's locus of control and belief in a just world (Nowicki et al, 2019;Stroebe, 2015) thus contributing to intrusive or deliberate rumination, as a way of coping.…”

“…Some individuals are generally prone to engage in rumination, which appears to underlie several psychological disorders. While past research conceptualized rumination as a relatively stable trait, newer evidence suggests that effective intervention can target rumination (Millon et al, 2018).…”

Forgetting Unwanted Memories: Active Forgetting and Implications for the Development of Psychological Disorders

“…Recently, Millon and colleagues (2018) found that women who experienced sexual violence in adolescence, but who did not develop PTSD, reported particularly strong memories for stressful life events in adulthood. In these women, intrusive memories of autobiographical stressful events correlated with the presence of altered cognitions related to traumatic life experiences and with an increased level of anxiety and depression [ 64 ].…”

Meditation and Aerobic Exercise Enhance Mental Health Outcomes and Pattern Separation Learning Without Changing Heart Rate Variability in Women with HIV

“…Clinical and community studies indicate that the program, when practiced over weeks, can increase aspects of mental health, especially reducing symptoms of depression and the occurrence of ruminative thoughts. For example, women with sexual violence history who engaged in 6 weeks of MAP Training reported fewer numbers of ruminative and trauma-related cognitions, as well as greater self-worth (Millon et al, 2018 ; Shors & Millon, 2016 ; Shors et al, 2018 ). In another study, women with substance dependence were less anxious and acquired greater cardiovascular fitness (measured as VO 2 ) (Shors et al, 2014 ).…”