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Impaired Autobiographical Memory Flexibility in Iranian Trauma Survivors With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Maryam Piltan1, Ali Reza Moradi2, Mohammad Hassan Choobin2
1Department of Psychology, Tarbiat Modarres University.
Summary
Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) show reduced autobiographical memory specificity and flexibility. These memory deficits may indicate broader emotional disturbance, suggesting memory flexibility interventions could benefit PTSD treatment.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Reduced autobiographical memory specificity is a known feature of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Memory flexibility, the ability to switch between specific and general memory retrieval, may be a more accurate measure of autobiographical memory deficits in emotional disturbances.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate memory specificity and memory flexibility in Iranian trauma survivors with and without PTSD.
- To compare these memory functions between individuals with PTSD, trauma-exposed individuals without PTSD, and community controls.
Main Methods:
- The study included 63 Iranian trauma survivors who experienced a road-traffic accident.
- Participants were assessed for PTSD, memory specificity, and memory flexibility.
Main Results:
- Individuals with PTSD exhibited significantly reduced memory specificity and memory flexibility compared to both trauma-exposed individuals without PTSD and community controls.
- A small sample size was noted, but statistical power was adequate.
Conclusions:
- Reduced memory flexibility may serve as a transdiagnostic marker for emotional disturbance.
- These findings support the development of interventions targeting memory flexibility for PTSD treatment.
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