Fabricated trauma exposure: An analysis of cognitive, behavioral, and emotional factors

THE 1995 Oklahoma City bombing was a disaster of unparalleled dimension in the United States. The professional response included the development of sy stematic clinical and research programs. This article describes the case of a child who, as a participant in a research study, appeared to fabricate a story of bomb-related loss. The research and clinical records of this chil d were examined and analyzed according to the factors and conditions that m ight underlie this fabrication. These include issues related to memory and suggestibility, symptom contagion, and mass hysteria. The report describes the role of psychological vulnerability in trauma and this child's coping a nd adaptation.