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Impaired Autobiographical Memory Flexibility in Iranian Trauma Survivors With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

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Type

Article

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Authors

Piltan, Maryam 
Moradi, Ali Reza 
Choobin, Mohammad Hassan 
Azadfallah, Parviz 
Eskandari, Sara 

Abstract

Reduced ability to retrieve specific autobiographical memories is a well-defined feature of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and science-driven interventions have emerged to improve memory specificity and thereby symptoms. However, research in depressed samples indicates that the ability to flexibly move between retrieval of specific and general memory types (i.e., memory flexibility) may more accurately conceptualize autobiographical memory deficits in emotional disturbance. In this study, we evaluated memory specificity and memory flexibility in Iranian trauma survivors (N = 63) with and without PTSD relative to community control participants. Trauma-exposed participants had experienced a serious road-traffic accident. Results indicated that individuals with PTSD experienced reduced memory specificity and memory flexibility relative to trauma-exposed participants and community control participants. A small sample size limits the strength of conclusions, although good statistical power was obtained. Findings suggest that reduced memory flexibility may be a transdiagnostic marker of emotional disturbance and support further development of memory flexibility interventions for PTSD.

Description

Keywords

autobiographical memory, open data, posttraumatic stress disorder, trauma

Journal Title

Clin Psychol Sci

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2167-7026
2167-7034

Volume Title

9

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Rights

All rights reserved
Sponsorship
MRC (unknown)
Economic and Social Research Council (ES/R010781/1)
Medical Research Council (MC_UU_00005/4)