Exposure to stress has been associated with alterations in memory func
tion, and we have previously shown deficits in short-term verbal memor
y in patients with a history of exposure to the stress of combat and t
he diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Few studies of a
ny kind have focused on adult survivors of childhood physical and sexu
al abuse. The purpose of this study was to investigate short-term memo
ry function in adult survivors of childhood abuse, Adult survivors of
severe childhood physical and sexual abuse (n = 21), as defined by spe
cific criteria derived from the Early Trauma Inventory (ETI), who were
presenting for psychiatric treatment were compared with healthy subje
cts (n = 20) matched for several variables including age, alcohol abus
e, and years of education, All subjects were assessed with the Wechsle
r Memory Scale (WMS) Logical (verbal memory) and Figural (visual memor
y) components, the Verbal and Visual Selective Reminding Tests (SRT),
and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R). Adult surv
ivors of childhood abuse had significantly lower scores on the WMS Log
ical component for immediate and delayed recall in comparison to norma
l subjects, with no difference in visual memory, as measured by the WM
S or the SRT, or IQ, as measured by the WAIS-R. Deficits in verbal mem
ory, as measured by the WMS, were associated with the severity of abus
e, as measured by a composite score on the ETI, Our findings suggest t
hat childhood physical and sexual abuse is associated with long-term d
eficits in verbal short-term memory; These findings of specific defici
ts in verbal (and not visual) memory, with no change in IQ, are simila
r to the pattern of deficits that we have previously found in patients
with combat-related PTSD.