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Characteristics and content of intrusive memories in PTSD and their changes with treatment
Abstract
Although intrusive reexperiencing is a core symptom of postraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), relatively little is known about its phenomenology. The present study assessed the characteristics and content of intrusive trauma memories in 22 patients with PTSD, and followed their changes in the course of cognitive behavioral treatment. Patients had a small number of different intrusive memories (1–4, M = 2.2) that occurred in an invariable, repetitive way. The intrusions were distressing and had a vivid perceptual content. They appeared to the patient to be happening in the “here and now.” With therapy, the frequency, vividness, distress, and nowness of the intrusions faded gradually. There was no exacerbation with imaginal reliving. The content of intrusions was classified by raters to test A. Ehlers et al.'s (2002) hypothesis that intrusive memories are usually of warning stimuli that signalled the moments with the greatest emotional impact. The results were consistent with this hypothesis.
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The subjective lack of past temporal context in PTSD involuntary memories decreases with successful treatment.
“This subjective lack of past temporal context (Ehlers, et al., 2004) decreases with successful treatment (Hackmann, et al., 2004; Speckens, et al., 2006).”
From Episodic memory, perceptual memory, and their interaction: Foundations for a theory of posttraumatic stress disorder. (2014) · cites this paper as Hackmann, et al., 2004
The opposite is observed: exposure-based rehearsal does not exacerbate PTSD.
“but the opposite is observed (Hackmann, Ehlers, Speckens, & Clark, 2004; Speckens, Ehlers, Hackmann, & Clark, 2006).”
From Episodic memory, perceptual memory, and their interaction: Foundations for a theory of posttraumatic stress disorder. (2014) · cites this paper as Hackmann, Ehlers, Speckens, & Clark, 2004
Memories for the traumatic event itself are typically seen as altered in two distinct ways: impaired voluntary retrieval and increased incidence of a specific involuntary memory sometimes called a flashback.
“In addition, memories for the traumatic event itself are typically seen as altered in two distinct ways: There is impairment in the voluntary retrieval of these coupled with an increased incidence of a specific type of involuntary memory sometimes referred to as a “flashback” [4–6].”
From Memory and Forgetting (2018) · cites this paper as [6]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Hackmann, A., Ehlers, A., Speckens, A., & Clark, D. M.
- Affiliations
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Hackmann, Ann
- Venue
- Journal of Traumatic Stress
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2004-06
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 231-240
- ISSN
- 0894-9867 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-6598
- OpenAlex
- W2069543035
- Semantic Scholar
- b0bf0162c4c118c80308a249af3371e7ffedbd91
- Cited by
- 407
- References
- 32
- Citations by year
- 2026: 16 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 23 · 2012: 20
- FWCI
- 18.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Traumatic Stress (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Wellcome Trust (069777)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
- Keywords
- intrusive memories, post-traumatic stress disorder, cognitive behavioral therapy, treatment modification
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Emotions, Female, Humans, Male, Memory, Middle Aged, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Wounds and Injuries, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
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