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Dissociation and the fragmentary nature of traumatic memories: Overview and exploratory study
Author(s) -
van Der Kolk Bessel A.,
Fisler Rita
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.2490080402
Subject(s) - psychology , traumatic memories , dissociation (chemistry) , traumatic stress , narrative , recall , coping (psychology) , autobiographical memory , suggestibility , cognitive psychology , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , linguistics , chemistry , philosophy
Since trauma arises from an inescapable stressful event that overwhelms people's coping mechanisms, it is uncertain to what degree the results of laboratory studies of ordinary events are relevant to the understanding of traumatic memories. This paper reviews the literature on differences between recollections of stressful and of traumatic events. It then reviews the evidence implicating dissociation as the central pathogenic mechanism that gives rise to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A systematic exploratory study of 46 subjects with PTSD indicated that traumatic memories were retrieved at least initially, in the form of dissociated mental imprints of sensory and affective elements of the traumatic experience: as visual, olfactory, affective, auditory, and kinesthetic experiences. Over time, subjects reported the gradual emergence of a personal narrative that can be properly referred to as “explicit memory.” The implications of these findings for understanding the nature of traumatic memories are discussed.