ABSTRACT
Studies of the relationship between explicit episodic memory of a traumatic event (MTE) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are inconclusive. The authors examined whether memory for the details of the traumatic event as reported by patients with mild traumatic brain injury was associated with the development of PTSD. In a retrospective study of 120 participants, MTE was found to be associated with an increased risk of PTSD, particularly for the reexperiencing symptom cluster. Although less frequently, PTSD was nonetheless present even in the absence of explicit memory. Possible explanations for mechanisms that enable this phenomenon are considered.
This study was partially funded by the L. Chutick Head Trauma Research Fund, Technion IIT. Preliminary findings from this study were presented at the 17th and 18th annual meetings of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.
Notes
a Wilks F = 16.2, p < .001.
b Based on CAPS scores.
a Based on CAPS scores.
b Accounting for the effect of mean CAPS score.
*p < .05;
***p < .001
a Odds ratios (OR) from a logistic regression model, adjusted for all the variables indicated, with a Goodness of Fit = 83.42, p < 0.001, Nagelkerke R2 = 0.42.
***p < 0.001.