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Autobiographical memory specificity in child sexual abuse victims

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 April 2013

Christin M. Ogle ,
Stephanie D. Block ,
Latonya S. Harris ,
Gail S. Goodman ,
Annarheen Pineda ,
Susan Timmer ,
Anthony Urquiza  and
Karen J. Saywitz
Christin M. Ogle*
Affiliation:
Duke University
Stephanie D. Block
Affiliation:
University of Massachusetts, Lowell
Latonya S. Harris
Affiliation:
University of California, Davis
Gail S. Goodman*
Affiliation:
University of California, Davis
Annarheen Pineda
Affiliation:
University of Denver
Susan Timmer
Affiliation:
University of California, Davis
Anthony Urquiza
Affiliation:
University of California, Davis
Karen J. Saywitz
Affiliation:
University of California, Los Angeles
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Christin M. Ogle, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Box 90086, Durham, NC 27708; E-mail: christin.ogle@duke.edu; or Gail S. Goodman, Department of Psychology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616; E-mail: ggoodman@ucdavis.edu.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Christin M. Ogle, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Box 90086, Durham, NC 27708; E-mail: christin.ogle@duke.edu; or Gail S. Goodman, Department of Psychology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616; E-mail: ggoodman@ucdavis.edu.
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Abstract

The present study examined the specificity of autobiographical memory in adolescents and adults with versus without child sexual abuse (CSA) histories. Eighty-five participants, approximately half of whom per age group had experienced CSA, were tested on the Autobiographical Memory Interview. Individual difference measures, including those for trauma-related psychopathology, were also administered. Findings revealed developmental differences in the relation between autobiographical memory specificity and CSA. Even with depression statistically controlled, reduced memory specificity in CSA victims relative to controls was observed among adolescents but not among adults. A higher number of posttraumatic stress disorder criteria met predicted more specific childhood memories in participants who reported CSA as their most traumatic life event. These findings contribute to the scientific understanding of childhood trauma and autobiographical memory functioning and underscore the importance of considering the role of age and degree of traumatization within the study of autobiographical memory.

Type
Regular Articles
Information
Development and Psychopathology , Volume 25 , Issue 2 , May 2013 , pp. 321 - 332
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013

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