False memories and forensic practice: Part Three

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=160 BGCOLOR="#333333" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="03cdedc2ddualp.png"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dr. Wade Silverman, Ph.D"><U><B>Dr. Wade Silverman, Ph.D</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id8.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U><B>Contact Us</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id147.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="FAQs"><U><B>FAQs</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id16.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Dr. Silverman"><U><B>About Dr. Silverman</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id146.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Great links"><U><B>Great links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Mind Reader© archive"><U><B>The Mind Reader© archive</B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="03d64643.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#666633" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>Dr. Wade Silverman, Ph.D</B></FONT>    |     <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dr. Wade Silverman, Ph.D"><U>home</U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> False memories and forensic practice: Part Three</div> <bR> <div> In earlier articles, we established that researchers and clinicians place different emphases upon the recollection of childhood abuse. The former tend to investigate false memories with a bias towards increasing of reports; the latter treat trauma with a bias towards the validity of phenomenon. Whereas you must be sensitive to your client<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP TypographicSymbols" >=</FONT>s suffering, it is essential to use more than his/her own reports as to verify the accuracy of such claims, you need to rule out suggestion and/or contamination of memory particularly if your client has been in psychotherapy. </div> <div> A recent article by J. DeRivera in <I>Professional Psychology</I>, 34, 378-386 addresses this very concern. In an article entitled, <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP TypographicSymbols" >A</FONT>Understanding Persons Who Repudiate Memories Recorded in Therapy,<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP TypographicSymbols" >@</FONT> the author suggests that a frequent reason for repudiation of client's memories of childhood abuse is therapist bias. The author sent questionnaires to individual who had repudiated serial abuse memories. Approximately one-third responded. The most frequent explanation for repudiation was the feeling that the therapist was attempting to control the mind of the client by insisting on the recovery of memories of childhood abuse. They also said the therapist discouraged contact with those who might refute these memories. Finally, they allege that the therapist fostered dependency on him/herself. Approximately 40% of respondents endorsed this explanation. </div> <div> While there are some problems with this study including a relatively low return rate and an atypical sample, namely those who repudiated their memories, the implications are still relatively clear. There are false memories of child abuse, and they may be related to therapist bias. It is essential to walk the line between empathy for a victim of a horrible trauma, and skepticism as to the accuracy of the complaint. The most effective way of doing this is to gather data from multiple sources.</div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>