Characteristics, context and consequences of memory recovery among adults in therapy

Abstract

BACKGROUND: There are concerns that memories recovered during therapy are likely to be the result of inappropriate therapeutic techniques. AIMS: To investigate systematically these concerns. METHOD: One-hundred and eight therapists provided information on all clients with recovered memories seen in the past three years, and were interviewed in detail on up to three such clients. RESULTS: Of a total of 690 clients, therapists reported that 65% recalled child sexual abuse and 35% recalled other traumas, 32% started recovering memories before entering therapy. According to therapists' accounts, among the 236 detailed client cases very few appeared improbable and corroboration was reported in 41%. Techniques to aid recall were used in 42%, but only in 22% were they used before memory recovery started. CONCLUSIONS: Some of the data are consistent with memories being of iatrogenic origin, but other data clearly point to the need for additional explanations.