Trauma and Memory : Clinical and Legal Controversies

This book is a guide to the controversies swirling around recovered memories of trauma, especially childhood sexual abuse. The contributors provide a road map to the research on memory, including ways in which it is affected by trauma. Therapeutic approaches to patients suffering the after effects of trauma are considered in detail.

The authenticity of memories of childhood sexual abuse has become one of the major social controversies of the 1990''s. As persons who report histories of abuse have sought remedies in civil and criminal proceedings in the courts,the accuracy of their memories--particularly when they have been recalled after a period of time--has been subject to intense scrutiny. This volume brings together many of the leading participants in the debate. Beginning by defining opposing positions, the contributors offer a variety of perspectives on the nature of the memory, including reviews of some of the most exciting recent developments in this fast-moving area of investigation. Next, consideration is given to the impact of trauma on memory, both in adults and in children. With this framework in place, the authors then turn to an examination of the variety of treatment approaches available to help patients who have been victims of trauma and who are struggling with memories of those events. Finally, they address the legal dilemmas for patients, mental health professionals, and society as a whole that have arisen from the trauma and memory controversy. As a whole, this book provides an unparalleled examination of this important and intriguing issue.