The association between involuntary memory and emotional adjustment after childbirth
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: A woman's memory of her experience of giving birth can strongly influence her mental health, and the development of her relationship with her infant, in a positive or negative direction. Highly distressing, involuntary memories of the birth may indicate symptoms of post-traumatic stress (PTS), which is increasingly recognized as a possible outcome of childbirth. Involuntary memories are not, however, exclusive to trauma and can also be experienced after positive events. This study sought to investigate involuntary memories for childbirth, as this is an event that is known to be potentially experienced both as highly positive and negative, and associated with a range of emotional outcomes, including greater well-being and symptoms of PTS. METHODS: A total of 122 women completed a measure of their emotional experience of giving birth within 3 days of the event, and 65 of these women responded to a postal follow-up at 6 weeks, with measures of involuntary memory experience, PTS symptoms and well-being. RESULTS: Experiencing pleasant involuntary memories was more common than experiencing unpleasant involuntary memories of the birth. The frequency of these memories and how they were experienced as either distressing or enjoyable was associated with post-partum emotional adjustment, demonstrated by the development of PTS symptoms or greater well-being. CONCLUSIONS: These results are important because to date, little research has examined the development of positive involuntary memories and their association with positive emotional adjustment. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Positive and negative emotional experiences can coexist in childbirth. Involuntary memories after negative events can be associated with post-traumatic stress. Involuntary memories can also occur after strongly positive events. What does this study add? Women can experience both positive and negative involuntary memories after childbirth. Involuntary negative memories mediate the link between birth experience and post-traumatic stress. Positive involuntary memories are associated with greater well-being in the post-partum. Transformation of negatively experienced events into positively experienced involuntary memories may facilitate adjustment after childbirth.
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Following childbirth, the frequency of involuntary memories and whether they were experienced as distressing or enjoyable was associated with the presence of post-traumatic stress symptoms at six weeks.
“For example, following childbirth the frequency of involuntary memories, and whether they were experienced as distressing or enjoyable, was associated with the presence of post-traumatic stress symptoms at six weeks (Briddon, Isaac, & Slade, 2015).”
From Intrusive memories of trauma: A target for research bridging cognitive science and its clinical application (2019) · cites this paper as Briddon, Isaac, & Slade, 2015
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- Authors
- Briddon, E., Isaac, C., & Slade, P.
- Affiliations
- Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
- University of Liverpool (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Briddon, Emma
- ORCID
- Slade, Pauline
- Venue
- British Journal of Health Psychology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2015-07-27
- Volume
- 20
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 889-903
- ISSN
- 1359-107X (ISSN-L)
- 2044-8287
- OpenAlex
- W1800176536
- Cited by
- 9
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 0.38
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- British Journal of Health Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Maternal and Perinatal Health Interventions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Keywords
- involuntary memory, childbirth experience, post-traumatic stress, well-being, birth memory, maternal mental health, infant attachment
- MeSH terms
- Emotional Adjustment, Adolescent, Adult, Emotions, Female, Humans, Memory, Pregnancy, Surveys and Questionnaires, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Time Factors, Parturition, Young Adult
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