False Memory Syndrome Foundation - Vol 15 No 01 - 2006 janfeb

Magazine Overview

This issue of the False Memory Syndrome Foundation (FMSF) Newsletter, dated January/February 2006, Volume 15, Number 1, focuses on the ongoing debate surrounding recovered memories, particularly in the context of childhood trauma and its alleged link to conditions like schizophrenia. The newsletter features articles that critically examine the scientific basis and legal implications of repressed memory.

"Folklore of Buried Memories" by Richard J. McNally, Ph.D.

This lead article, described as a "succinct 'op ed' piece," summarizes the scientific perspective on recovered memories. McNally argues that while trauma is often memorable, the concept of "traumatic dissociative amnesia"—the idea that the mind can banish traumatic memories from awareness—is not scientifically supported. He critiques the notion that victims are unable to recall horrific events, suggesting that difficulties in remembering are often due to ordinary absentmindedness or incomplete encoding of trauma due to high emotional arousal, rather than true amnesia. McNally distinguishes between traumatic amnesia and psychogenic amnesia, where individuals lose memory of their entire lives. He asserts that while sexual abuse is morally reprehensible, it is not invariably traumatic in a way that would lead to repressed memories. McNally, a professor of psychology at Harvard University, has authored "Memories of Trauma."

"Does Childhood Trauma Cause Schizophrenia?" by Harrison Pope, Jr., M.D.

Dr. Pope critiques a review article by John Read et al. that suggested a causal link between childhood trauma and psychotic disorders like schizophrenia. Pope emphasizes that association does not equal causation, using the analogy of the sun setting and having dinner. He explains that demonstrating causality requires rigorous studies, such as randomized controlled trials, which are often unethical in this context. He discusses the challenges of prospective studies, which must control for numerous confounding variables like genetics, family dysfunction, and other adverse life events. Pope argues that retrospective studies, which rely on subjects' recall, are particularly vulnerable to fallibility and can lead to inflated estimates of association. He uses examples like the "poppers" and AIDS epidemic to illustrate how misinterpreting correlations can lead to false conclusions about causality. Pope concludes that it is hazardous to infer causality between childhood trauma and psychotic disorders based on current studies.

Legal Corner: Excerpts from the ORDER IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF DOUGLAS COUNTY, NEBRASKA

This section presents excerpts from Judge Sandra L. Dougherty's decision in the case of John Doe vs. Father Flanagan's Boys Home. The case involved a plaintiff claiming repressed memories of childhood sexual abuse. The court heard expert testimony from Harrison Pope, Jr., M.D., and Elizabeth Loftus, Ph.D. for the defense, and Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., for the plaintiff.

Expert Testimony Summaries:

• Dr. Harrison Pope, Jr.: Argued that the phenomenon of repression and subsequent memory recovery does not exist. He stated that no scientific study has proven repressed memory after excluding known causes of amnesia and that retrospective studies have flaws, including assuming forgetting equals repression and inadequate corroboration. Pope noted the lack of consensus among scientists and that only 35% of surveyed American psychiatrists believed repressed memory should be an official DSM-IV diagnosis. He challenged the methodological standards of studies purporting to establish repressed memory, stating they confuse ordinary forgetting with repression.
• Dr. Elizabeth Loftus, Ph.D.: Agreed that the concept of repressed memory is controversial and lacks good scientific support. She stated that her own research, including a 1994 article, did not prove the existence of repressed memory. Loftus acknowledged that she did not treat patients and had no special expertise in childhood development. She noted that the DSM-IV's inclusion of repressed memory reflects communication needs rather than scientific consensus, and that many mental health professionals have been sued for planting false memories.
• Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.: Testified that repressed memory is listed as a diagnosis in the DSM-IV and is generally accepted within the psychiatric community. He cited studies of sexually abused people finding examples of repressed memory and stated it was no longer a valid question to ask whether it exists. However, on cross-examination, he acknowledged that some studies implied normal cognitive operations underlie memory for childhood sexual abuse, not unique memory mechanisms. He also noted the AMA's statement that recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse are of uncertain authenticity and require external verification.

Judge Dougherty's Discussion and Conclusions:

• Reliability of Repressed and Recovered Memory: The court found that there is no empirical test to demonstrate the existence and reliability of repressed or recovered memory. It would be unethical to create a traumatic event to test this. Therefore, the court concluded that the reliability and accuracy of repressed memory theory have not been adequately tested.
• Peer-Review and Publication: The court noted that studies presented were retrospective, often lacked corroboration, and failed to exclude alternative explanations for victims' claims (e.g., lying, suggestion, pseudo memories). The Williams study, while suggesting some individuals couldn't recall all memories of abuse, did not support the idea that repressed memories can be accurately and truthfully recovered. The court found that studies relied upon by the plaintiff did not provide a scientific basis for concluding that repressed memories can be accurately and truthfully recovered.

Other Sections

• In this issue...: A table of contents listing articles on McNally, Pope, Legal Corner, From Our Readers, and Bulletin Board.
• Special Thanks: Acknowledges individuals who help prepare the FMSF Newsletter.
• Letters from readers: Highlighted as providing snapshots of family situations, with two letters asking for help and noting the tragedy of families being destroyed by memory wars.
• Pamela: A brief note from Pamela thanking supporters and mentioning upcoming articles on the Gray vs. Dr. Powers case, the McMartin Pre-School trial, and the Outreau case in France.
• Recent Research of Interest: Summarizes several studies:
• Geraerts et al. (2005): Found that fantasy proneness, not self-reported trauma, was related to false recall and recognition in women reporting recovered memories of CSA.
• Storbeck & Clore (2005): Showed that negative mood can reduce the false memory effect.
• Park, Shobe, & Kihlstrom (2005): Investigated associative memory illusions, finding that strongly related items elicit false recollections.
• Authoritative Book on the Science of False Memories: Recommends "The Science of False Memory" by C.J. Brainerd and V.F. Reyna, describing it as a comprehensive overview of the field.
• Other New Books: Mentions "Destructive Trends in Mental Health" and "Benchbook in the Behavioral Sciences."
• Notable Quotes: Includes quotes from Virginia Ironside and Roseanne regarding the negative impact of therapy focused on recovered memories.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The FMSF Newsletter consistently adopts a critical stance towards the concept of recovered memories, particularly when it is linked to claims of childhood trauma causing severe psychiatric disorders. The editorial stance emphasizes the importance of scientific rigor, empirical evidence, and peer review. The newsletter highlights studies and legal decisions that question the validity and reliability of repressed memory claims, often pointing to methodological flaws in research and the potential for suggestion or fabrication of memories. The FMSF appears to advocate for a cautious approach, urging skepticism towards claims that lack robust scientific support and warning about the potential harm of therapies that may inadvertently create or reinforce false memories. The newsletter also touches upon the devastating impact of the "memory wars" on families.

This issue of the FMS Foundation Newsletter, dated January/February 2006, Vol. 15 No. 1, focuses on the ongoing debates surrounding repressed and recovered memories, as well as the psychological underpinnings of beliefs in alien abductions. The newsletter is published by the FMS Foundation and is available via email or on their website.

Legal and Scientific Debate on Repressed Memory

The newsletter presents excerpts from a court ruling by Judge Sandra L. Dougherty concerning the reliability of repressed and recovered memories. The court found that while theories of repressed and recovered memory have been subject to peer review, the results of scientific articles are mixed and do not conclusively establish their existence or reliability. The ruling addresses three key questions:

Reliability of Repressed and Recovered Memory

The court found that there is no known error rate regarding the reliability of repressed and recovered memories or in the studies presented by Rivers. However, the court also noted that Rivers did not present any evidence or testimony specifically on the issue of an established error rate, which is crucial for methodological soundness in scientific studies.

Acceptance within the Scientific Community

Testimony presented to the court indicated a significant division within the scientific community. Dr. van der Kolk testified that the theory is generally accepted within the psychiatric community, citing clinical experiences as proof. Conversely, Dr. Pope and Dr. Loftus testified that the theory is not generally accepted within the psychiatric and psychological communities, respectively. The court concluded that a major debate exists, and the concept is controversial, with no scientific consensus on its existence or reliability.

DSM-IV Listing and Scientific Controversy

The court clarified that the inclusion of repressed memory or dissociative amnesia as a diagnosis in the DSM-IV does not alone establish its general acceptance or reliability. The DSM-IV itself states there is "currently no method for establishing with certainty the accuracy of such retrieved memories in the absence of corroborative memories." Similarly, the APA and AMA position papers acknowledge considerable scientific controversy and the unreliability of recovered memory reports without corroboration.

The court ultimately ruled that the theory of repressed memory and recovered memory has not gained general acceptance in the psychological and psychiatric communities. Furthermore, even if repressed memory exists, scientists agree that the reliability of recovered repressed memories is unknown and their accuracy cannot be determined without corroborating evidence.

Abducted: How People Come to Believe They Were Kidnapped by Aliens

This section features a review of Susan A. Clancy's book, "Abducted: How People Come to Believe They Were Kidnapped by Aliens." The review highlights Clancy's findings that the belief in alien abduction often begins with questions about unexplained experiences, such as waking up terrified or finding unusual marks. Clancy suggests that people search for answers within culturally available explanations, and alien abduction has become one such explanation for distress arising from various life issues.

Clancy's research indicates that recognizing an alien in a picture is common, but recognizing a specific public figure like Tony Blair is less so, suggesting the power of suggestion and imagination. She emphasizes that the "trick to creating false memories is to get confused between things you imagined, or read, or saw, and things that actually happened."

The review also touches upon the emotional needs that drive such beliefs, including the need to feel less alone, to be special, and to believe in something larger than oneself.

Reader Contributions

Another Daughter Returns

A mother shares a poignant story about the return of one of her estranged daughters after her husband's death. The daughter expressed remorse and sought forgiveness, which was readily given. The mother reflects on the ongoing guilt of another daughter and the hope for reconciliation among siblings.

Getting to Know Family

A grandmother shares that her 18-year-old grandson, whom she had not seen since he was a year old, has reached out to reconnect with his family.

Help Needed

A mother seeks advice from readers regarding her daughter who has been estranged from the family for ten years. She is unsure how to re-establish contact or help her daughter.

How Can Our Situation Be Helped?

A father describes the strained relationship with his "accusing daughter," who has forbidden his presence. He recounts an incident where his wife was disinvited from a birthday party after mentioning him, referring to him as "the perpetrator you live with."

Web Sites and Resources

The newsletter provides extensive lists of websites related to false memory, attachment therapy, and legal resources. It also lists organizations and contacts for FMS (False Memory Syndrome) groups across the United States, Canada, Australia, Belgium, Israel, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Recommended Books

Several books are recommended, including "Remembering Trauma" by Richard McNally, "Science and Pseudoscience in Clinical Psychology" by S. O. Lilienfeld, S.J. Lynn, J.M. Lohr, and "Psychology Astray: Fallacies in Studies of 'Repressed Memory' and Childhood Trauma" by Harrison G. Pope, Jr., M.D.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The FMS Foundation Newsletter consistently promotes a critical stance on the concept of repressed and recovered memories, emphasizing the lack of scientific consensus and the potential for false memories. The newsletter highlights legal cases and scientific research that question the validity of these memory claims. The editorial stance appears to be one of skepticism towards repressed memory theories and a focus on providing resources and support for those affected by false memory accusations. The inclusion of information on alien abduction beliefs suggests an interest in exploring the psychological mechanisms behind extraordinary claims and the construction of belief systems.