Differential effects of poor recall and memory disjointedness on trauma symptoms

Abstract

Clinical theories of PTSD suggest that trauma memories are disorganised. The present study examined how trauma film exposure affects two aspects of memory disorganisation, poor memory recall and memory disjointedness, and their relationship to PTSD-like symptomatology. In Session 1, 90 healthy participants were exposed to a trauma (n = 60) or a neutral film (n = 30). Cognitive processing styles, memory characteristics and intrusive memories of the film were assessed. The trauma film group reported greater memory disjointedness of the worst moments of the film, but better memory recall of the film than the neutral film group. In the trauma film group, cognitive processing and memory disjointedness was related to intrusive memories and PTSD-like symptoms in the week after film exposure. Memory disjointedness but not poor memory recall mediated the relationship between cognitive processing and intrusions. The findings suggest that different aspects of memory disorganisation need to be distinguished to explain PTSD symptoms.