QUESTIONABLE VALIDITY OF DISSOCIATIVE AMNESIA IN TRAUMA VICTIMS - EVIDENCE FROM PROSPECTIVE STUDIES

Background We reviewed evidence from prospective studies to test wheth er individuals can develop amnesia for traumatic experiences, a proces s variously termed 'repression', 'dissociative amnesia' or 'psychogeni c amnesia'. Method Using specified criteria, we selected and analysed studies which prospectively assessed memory in victims of documented t raumatic experiences. Results In studies in which people were asked di rectly about a past traumatic experience, they consistently reported m emories. Non-reporting occurred only in studies where subjects were no t asked directly about the experience. This latter design leaves open the well-documented I possibility that subjects simply did not disclos e events that they actually remembered. Some prospective studies were also limited by incomplete documentation of trauma and failure to rule out other more ordinary causes of amnesia. Conclusions Prospective da ta as yet fail to demonstrate that individuals can develop dissociativ e amnesia for traumatic events.