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True and false memories in maltreated children
Mark L Howe1, Dante Cicchetti, Sheree L Toth
1Department of Psychology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. mark.howe@lakeheadu.ca
Child Development
|September 17, 2004
Summary
Child maltreatment did not affect memory development trends in children. However, socioeconomic status (SES) influenced overall memory performance, highlighting the impact of environmental factors on cognitive processes.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Child maltreatment can impact cognitive development.
- Understanding memory processes in children is crucial for identifying developmental trajectories.
- Socioeconomic status (SES) is a known factor influencing child development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in basic memory processes between maltreated and nonmaltreated children.
- To examine the influence of age and socioeconomic status (SES) on memory development.
- To explore the relationship between child maltreatment and memory performance.
Main Methods:
- An experiment involving 159 children aged 5-12 years.
- Categorization into middle-SES, low-SES maltreated, and low-SES nonmaltreated groups.
- Utilized Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) word lists to assess recall and recognition memory.
Main Results:
- Both true and false memory recall increased with age across all groups.
- Memory development trends were not significantly different between maltreated and nonmaltreated children.
- Overall memory performance varied significantly based on socioeconomic status (SES).
Conclusions:
- Age-related memory development, including false memory formation, appears robust across maltreatment statuses.
- Socioeconomic status (SES) plays a significant role in overall memory performance in children.
- Chronic stress from maltreatment may not alter fundamental memory processes but SES impacts overall cognitive function.