Impact of Trauma Type and Emotion on Overgeneral Autobiographical Memory

Abstract

Traumatized individuals display overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGM). However, it remains unclear whether autobiographical memory specificity differs among individuals being exposed to different types of trauma and whether emotion affects OGM for varied trauma types. The present study compared three distinct trauma types: sexual assault (SA); motor vehicle accident (MVA); and sudden, unexpected death of a loved one (SUD). The MVA group was found to show a higher level of OGM than the SUD group. Trauma survivors were found to show fewer specific memories in response to the negative cue words than in response to the positive or neutral cue words.

Keywords:

• Posttraumatic stress disorder
• overgeneral autobiographical memory
• emotional effect
• trauma type
• cognitive deficit

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ping Zheng

Ping Zheng, PhD, is an assistant professor of psychology at Elmira College. She earned her medical degree in neurology at Wuhan University and earned her doctorate from the University of Wyoming in 2015. Her research interests include cultural clinical psychology, cognitive mechanisms of posttraumatic distress, and ethical issues in clinical psychology.

Matt J. Gray

Matt J. Gray, PhD, is a professor in the University of Wyoming Psychology Department. He earned his doctorate from the University of Mississippi in 2000 and subsequently trained at the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston as well as the National Center for PTSD Behavioral Sciences Division in Boston. His research interests include traumatic stress as well as prevention and treatment of intimate partner violence and sexual assault.