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Toddlers' traumatic memories
Author(s) -
Sugar Max
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
infant mental health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1097-0355
pISSN - 0163-9641
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0355(199223)13:3<245::aid-imhj2280130310>3.0.co;2-4
Subject(s) - psychology , narrative , developmental psychology , repertoire , traumatic memories , cognition , childhood memory , recall , cognitive psychology , linguistics , episodic memory , literature , art , neuroscience , philosophy
Three cases will be presented in which remote, accurate verbal and visual memories were present in, and from, toddlerhood for which the earliest age was 16 months. The age at which memories can be verbalized depends on the age of onset of speech phrases and cognitive ability. The memory may remain for over 30 years. Toddlers spontaneously report traumatic memories. The earlier the trauma occurs, the less the child is able to organize the material into a narrative form. The child is only able to relate the parts that are within his or her verbal repertoire and significant to him or her.