False Memory Syndrome Foundation - Vol 18 No 03 - 2009 summer

Magazine Overview

This issue of the False Memory Syndrome Foundation (FMSF) Newsletter, dated Summer 2009 (Vol. 18 No. 3), focuses heavily on debunking the 'Sybil' case and the subsequent rise of Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD), alongside discussions on recovered memory, false memories, and wrongful convictions.

Sybil: The Myth

The lead article, "Sybil: The Myth," critically examines the story of 'Sybil' and the diagnosis of Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD). It references Mikkel Borch-Jacobsen's book, "Making Minds and Madness: From Hysteria to Depression," which argues that MPD is a cultural artifact and that the 'Sybil' phenomenon was based on a myth. The article highlights how the American Psychiatric Association uncritically accepted the surge in MPD diagnoses and claims, failing to address the 'junk-science' cases that emerged. Borch-Jacobsen's research, detailed in his book, identifies Shirley Ardell Mason as the real 'Sybil' and provides evidence that her 'personalities' were largely an artifact of her therapy with Dr. Cornelia Wilbur. The book is praised for its extensive research and access to diaries and notes, completing the disclosure of the case.

The article details the dramatic increase in MPD diagnoses following the publication of 'Sybil' in 1973 and its subsequent movie adaptation. It contrasts the initial low number of reported cases with the thousands reported by the late 1980s. Psychiatrists like Frank Putnam are quoted acknowledging 'Sybil's' influence in shaping the perception of MPD. The piece also touches upon the sealing of records by Schreiber and Wilbur, and how Herbert Spiegel and Robert Rieber later brought forth evidence contradicting the 'Sybil' narrative.

Further analysis of Shirley Mason's background reveals discrepancies between Schreiber's book and reality, including details about her family life and the nature of her psychological problems, which began with anxiety attacks and were diagnosed as hysterical neurosis. Her therapy sessions with Dr. Wilbur involved significant use of Pentothal and other sedatives, and Borch-Jacobsen suggests that many of her 'traumas' were hallucinated in a drug-induced state. The article notes that Shirley's mother was diagnosed as schizophrenic by Wilbur, a diagnosis that could not be corroborated. The book's conclusion is also presented as a fabrication, with the therapy relationship ending differently than portrayed.

Making Minds and Madness: From Hysteria to Depression

This section provides a detailed overview of Mikkel Borch-Jacobsen's book, emphasizing its examination of psychoanalysis and biomedical psychiatry as cultural and historical artifacts. The chapter "A Black Box Named 'Sybil'" is highlighted as a key reason to purchase the book, offering documentary evidence that the MPD industry was based on a myth. Borch-Jacobsen's approach focuses on how mental illnesses are 'co-produced' by therapists and patients, rather than solely on whether they are 'real'. The book traces the explosion of MPD diagnoses after 'Sybil,' noting the widespread presence of 'multiples' in various public spheres by the 1990s.

Wrongful Convictions and Legal Cases

The newsletter features updates on individuals who have been wrongfully convicted. Bernard Baran, who was convicted in the day-care panic following the McMartin trial, has been freed after serving 21 years, with his conviction overturned due to his original attorney's incompetence and potential prosecutorial misconduct. The article reprints a 2006 FMSF Newsletter piece detailing the legal proceedings that led to Baran's request for a new trial.

James Toward, imprisoned since 1986 for alleged child abuse at a Montessori school, is also discussed. A letter from a parent whose children attended the school provides insight into the hysteria surrounding day-care abuse cases at the time. The parent expresses regret for subjecting her children to therapy and acknowledges the difficulty of discerning truth amidst the panic.

Bruce Perkins, another individual facing a wrongful conviction, is mentioned. The newsletter advocates for the release of all wrongfully convicted individuals.

Memory Research and False Memories

Research on creating false memories is explored, referencing studies by Wade and Laney. These studies demonstrate that false autobiographical memories can be planted through suggestive interviews and the use of props like photographs. The research indicates that a significant percentage of subjects develop partial or complete false memories, which can be held with confidence and appear vivid and emotionally rich.

"False Feedback" is presented as another method for implanting false memories, influencing future behavior. The concept of "Social Influence" is also discussed, where individuals incorporate memories of others into their own when discussing shared experiences. The authors conclude that no single characteristic can differentiate real from false memories, as both can be detailed, vivid, and confidently held.

New Zealand's ACC and Sexual Abuse Claims

Gordon Waugh reports on the New Zealand Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) and its handling of sexual abuse claims. He notes that while the number of new claims has decreased significantly in recent years, the ACC's practices, particularly regarding compensation for mental injury without requiring proof of abuse or assailant identification, are questioned. The article highlights the massive increase in claims in the early 1990s, coinciding with the "recovered memory therapy" movement, and the subsequent legislative changes aimed at curbing costs.

Motivation to Remember

A study on "Motivation to Remember" by Kassam, Gilbert, Swencionis, and Wilson is summarized. It explores how people judge others' memories based on motivation. The research suggests that while people are motivated to remember important information, judges often expect motivated individuals to remember more regardless of when the motivation occurred. The study found that participants who were motivated before learning remembered more, while those motivated after did not. The authors note that people's theories about memory motivation are imperfect.

New MPD Misery Memoir

This section reviews "Today I'm Alice - A Memoir of Multiple Personality Disorder" by Alice Jamieson. The review highlights Jamieson's account of repressing memories of childhood rape and torture, and how her voices developed into multiple personalities. Her journey involved seeking mental health services and finding validation through writing and a substantial award from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

Do Repeated Interviews of Children Increase Children's False Reports?

This abstract discusses research on the effects of repeated interviews on children's memory accuracy. It suggests that while repeated interviews can sometimes lead to increased errors, they can also improve accuracy, even with misleading questions. The key factors are how and when children are interviewed, not just how many times.

Colin Ross Receives Pigasus Award

The newsletter reports that Dr. Colin Ross, known for his promotion of MPD and claims related to the supernatural, received the Pigasus Award from the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF). The award recognizes the 'silliest' claims related to the paranormal. Ross's claims about sending energy beams from his eyes and his involvement in 'United States of Tara' are mentioned, as is his past lawsuit by former patients.

Legal Corner: Bernard Baran Finally Free

This section reiterates the news of Bernard Baran's release and the dropping of charges against him, providing further details on the legal proceedings and the context of the day-care panic.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The FMSF Newsletter consistently adopts a critical stance towards psychiatric diagnoses and therapies that it deems lacking in scientific rigor or based on unsubstantiated claims, particularly concerning 'recovered memories' and MPD. The publication champions critical thinking, scientific evidence, and accountability within the mental health field. It also advocates for the rights of those wrongfully accused and highlights cases where the justice system has erred. The newsletter appears to be transitioning, with fewer new cases and a consideration of its future role, while continuing to provide research updates and commentary on issues related to memory, trauma, and psychological diagnosis.

Title: FMS Foundation Newsletter
Issue: Vol. 18 No. 3
Date: Summer 2009
Publisher: FMS Foundation
Country: United States
Language: English
ISSN: 1069-0484

This issue of the FMS Foundation Newsletter delves into the complexities of memory, false accusations, and the justice system, with a significant focus on the Bernard Baran case and the broader phenomenon of day-care sex abuse hysteria.

The Bernard Baran Case: A Fight for Justice

The lead article details the case of Bernard Baran, the first day-care worker convicted in the U.S. during the wave of sex abuse hysteria in the '80s and '90s. Arrested in October 1984, Baran was convicted just 115 days later and sentenced to three concurrent life terms. Despite an offer of a five-year plea deal from Assistant District Attorney Dan Ford, Baran maintained his innocence. His early years in prison were marked by violence, including a rape and beating shortly after incarceration. His family faced financial hardship, with his mother selling their car to pay for legal representation.

In 1995, Baran's case was cited in the book "Satan's Silence" by Debbie Nathan and Michael Snedeker. Later in the 1990s, he was mentioned in a letter to the Wall Street Journal and received further attention in a February 2000 column by Katha Pollitt in The Nation magazine, which aided fundraising efforts.

The narrative then shifts to the persistent efforts to secure a new trial for Baran. In 1999, Bostonian Robert Chatelle began a seven-year campaign, enlisting attorney John Swomley to seek an evidentiary hearing. Delays by the Berkshire County District Attorney's office, citing lost or destroyed trial evidence, stalled progress.

In late 2003, two key events opened possibilities for a new trial: Superior Court Judge Fecteau ordered that attorney Swomley have full subpoena power to locate evidence, and the death of District Attorney Gerard Downing, who had been responsible for the delays, occurred. Subsequently, the new District Attorney discovered unedited tapes of children's interviews that had not been presented to the grand jury or the defendant. These tapes, presented in an evidentiary hearing, revealed that many children, often under duress, stated that "Bernie didn't do anything" or named other individuals. These segments had been edited out of the final tape shown to the court, which presented a selective package of comments.

Assistant District Attorney Dan Ford, now a Superior Court Judge, is implicated in the editing. The article notes that Ford had previously dropped a young boy from the case after the boy called out "Hi, Bernie" and tried to approach Baran, attributing this to the boy's lack of cooperation and unreliable testimony. Ironically, the boy's mother was the first accuser and had filed a civil suit against the day-care center before indictments were issued. She and her boyfriend had also demanded Baran's dismissal due to his homosexuality, leading to the sexual abuse charges when the center refused.

Historical Context: The Day-Care Sex Abuse Hysteria

The issue places Baran's case within the broader context of the '80s, described as a "tsunami of satanic ritual abuse, sexual abuse, and child pornography-ring hysteria" that swept North America, overshadowing "innocent-until-proven guilty" rights. Fad theories, such as Roland Summit's "Child Sexual Abuse Accommodation Syndrome," which suggested children might block out abuse and that retractions were part of the syndrome, influenced many day-care cases.

The McMartin Day-Care case in Manhattan Beach, California, starting in 1983, is highlighted as a significant early case. Prosecutors from the Massachusetts Fells Acres (Amirault) case sought advice from those involved in the McMartin case, adopting tactics like questioning parents and children about "secret rooms, magic rooms, and evil clowns." A meeting on September 12, 1984, saw parents recruited to question their children in the Amirault case.

The hysteria also influenced institutions, with lurid books and movies like "Sybil" promoting childhood sexual abuse as the cause of Multiple Personality Disorder. Recovered memories became a widespread phenomenon, discussed on TV and in magazines, with celebrities frequently sharing their own alleged experiences.

Reader Contributions and Perspectives

"It's Still Going On!"

A reader recounts an experience where a marriage and family therapist, discussing "recovered memories" of trauma, was confronted by a brother falsely accused of ritual satanic abuse. The reader challenged the therapist's reliance on "junk science" and the techniques used, highlighting the potential harm to clients and families. The therapist acknowledged that he might not have brought up the topic in that context again, and the coordinator of the class later provided a disclaimer, noting the debate surrounding recovered memories.

Comments on Baran's Freedom

Robert Chatelle, who led the effort to free Bernard Baran, reflects on the decade-long struggle. He notes that the "hard-won victory" highlights serious flaws in the judicial system, emphasizing that fighting power requires money, and their efforts, costing $589,000, were largely funded by ordinary citizens. Chatelle expresses gratitude to judges who made decisions supporting Baran's case, while also acknowledging that the system itself did not "work" but rather the dedicated people within it. He hopes the case might lead to judicial reform but remains skeptical, stressing the need for active citizen engagement.

Unreconciled

Two poignant notes from readers are included: one from "A brother" facing death unreconciled, leaving a message of forgiveness for his sister, and another from "A dad" expressing a similar sentiment. A quote from David Seamands, "We cannot change our memories, but we can change their meaning and the power they have over us," is also featured.

Books and Resources

The newsletter lists several books and resources related to memory, trauma, and false accusations:

• Remembering Our Childhood: How Memory Betrays Us by Karl Sabbagh (Oxford University Press, 2009)
• Making Minds and Madness: From Hysteria to Depression Chapter 3: "A Black Box Named Sybil” by Mikkel Borch-Jacobsen (Cambridge University Press, 2009)
• Hungry for Monsters: A documentary available on VHS and DVD, detailing an ordeal with memory-focused psychotherapy and accusations of sexual abuse.
• Try to Remember: Psychiatry's Clash Over Meaning, Memory, and Mind by Paul McHugh, M.D.
• Remembering Trauma by Richard McNally
• Science and Pseudoscience in Clinical Psychology by S. O. Lilienfeld, S.J. Lynn, J.M. Lohr (eds.)
• Psychology Astray: Fallacies in Studies of “Repressed Memory” and Childhood Trauma by Harrison G. Pope, Jr., M.D.

Web Sites of Interest

A comprehensive list of websites related to false memory, Satanic ritual abuse, and related topics is provided, including links to Elizabeth Loftus, the Exploratorium Memory Exhibit, and various national and international False Memory Society groups.

The Rutherford Family Speaks to FMS Families

A DVD about the Rutherford family's story, from accusation to retraction and reconciliation, is highlighted as a popular resource.

Bulletin Board: Contacts & Meetings

The newsletter includes a detailed listing of FMS Foundation contacts and meeting schedules across the United States, Canada, Australia, Belgium, France, Israel, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. It also provides information on submitting meeting notices and deadlines for the next issue.

FMSF Information and Support

The final pages provide copyright information, contact details for the FMS Foundation, and a list of its Scientific and Professional Advisory Board members. It also includes a section for contributions, with options for Visa, Discover, Mastercard, or check/money order, and a request for personal information for those wishing to receive electronic versions of the newsletter.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the fallibility of memory, the dangers of "junk science" in therapeutic settings, the potential for wrongful accusations fueled by societal hysteria, and the persistent need for judicial reform and citizen advocacy. The editorial stance is clearly critical of the "recovered memory" movement and the practices that have led to false accusations, while strongly supporting those who have been wrongly accused and advocating for a more just and evidence-based legal and therapeutic system. The FMS Foundation positions itself as a resource and support network for individuals and families affected by these issues.