The Impact of Imprisonment on Overgeneral Autobiographical Memory in Former Political Prisoners

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Birgit Kleim - , University of Zurich (Author)
  • James W. Griffith - , Northwestern University, KU Leuven (Author)
  • Ira Gäbler - , University of Zurich (Author)
  • Matthias Schützwohl - , Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Andreas Maercker - , University of Zurich (Author)

Abstract

Traumatic experiences may dramatically influence later behavior and cognitive processing. This study investigated how trauma shapes the way that we remember personal experiences. Specifically, we investigated overgeneral autobiographical memory, which is the tendency to remember autobiographical events in an overgeneral rather than specific way. We administered the Autobiographical Memory Test (Williams & Broadbent,) to 86 survivors of political imprisonment 37 years after they had been released from imprisonment. Depression and posttraumatic stress disorder were not significantly related to overgeneral autobiographical memory. Significant overgeneral autobiographical memory correlates included embitterment, r = -.28, and being released to former East Germany, d = 0.67. Survivors with social support, r = .30 were better able to recall specific memories. Certain trauma characteristics and the way the trauma is processed may thus influence how personal memories are later remembered. This study also furthers the understanding of memory processes in political prisoners, who are not commonly studied in psychological research.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)626-630
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of traumatic stress
Volume26
Issue number5
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2013
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 24114806

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals