Thesis (Ph.D.). / Written for the Dept. of Anthropology. Title from title page of PDF (viewed 2008/08/04). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2005. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 143-149).

This program of research investigated the nature and processes of autobiographical memory deficits in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Study 1 examined the proposition that difficulties in the retrieval of specific memories present a risk factor for posttraumatic psychopathology. A prospective study of fire-fighters found that a significant predictor of posttraumatic stress was a deficit in retrieving specific memories to positive cues before trauma. Study 2 investigated whether autobiographical retrieval deficits in PTSD can be modified by psychological treatment. Results found that as PTSD symptoms reduced following treatment, individuals with PTSD retrieved more specific memories to positive cues. Together, these results indicated that specific retrieval deficits to positive cues present a vulnerability factor for PTSD. However, this memory style appears to be receptive to modification following therapy. Study 3 investigated the association between autobiographical retrieval deficits and impaired problemsolving in PTSD. Participants with PTSD retrieved more overgeneral categoric memories and took longer to retrieve memories than non-PTSD trauma controls. This deficit was associated with impaired social problem-solving, suggesting that specific retrieval is related to successful problem solving. In an analogue design, Studies 4 and 5 investigated the proposition that resource limitations may underpin autobiographical retrieval deficits. Results generally supported the proposal that reduced cognitive resources may be a mechanism contributing to specific retrieval deficits. Studies 6 and 7 examined rumination as another possible mechanism responsible for these retrieval deficits. Study 6 found high anxious participants retrieved fewer specific memories to positive cues following rumination, compared to distraction. Study 7 found evidence that negative rumination in the high anxious group increased categoric retrieval, whereas positive rumination had no effect. Study 8 found retrieval of trauma-related self-defining memories was strongly associated with personal goals connected to the trauma. Study 9 found that discrepancies in one???s self construct were related to the retrieval of trauma memories to positive cues. This program of research extends current theories of autobiographical memory by identifying risk, maintenance, and recovery factors in the context of PTSD.

The aim of this thesis was to examine the impact of an identity delusion on autobiographical memory and develop a model of deluded autobiographical memory to guide future research in this area. Given the difficulty of studying identity delusions in isolation from other clinical disorders, this thesis presents six experiments that used hypnosis as a laboratory model of identity delusions. Chapter 1 reviews literature from three distinct areas, including delusions, autobiographical memory, and hypnosis. Chapter 1 reviews a model of the self and autobiographical memory proposed by Conway (2005) and outlines the value of using hypnosis instrumentally to model delusions of self. Chapter 2 presents two experiments that established hypnosis as a suitable paradigm for investigating identity delusions. These experiments examined the parameters of the hypnotic delusion and tested the impact of the delusion on self and autobiographical memory. Chapter 3 presents two experiments that continued to examine the characteristics of autobiographical memory during a hypnotic identity delusion. These experiments indexed the specificity, source, perspective, and qualitative features of autobiographical memories elicited during a suggested identity delusion. Chapter 4 presents two experiments that investigated memory processing during a hypnotic identity delusion. These experiments illustrated the shifting accessibility of autobiographical memories during a hypnotic identity delusion. Finally, Chapter 5 draws the empirical findings together to discuss the value of hypnosis as a technique for modelling identity delusions and the ways in which a hypnotic identity delusion influences autobiographical memory. Importantly, Chapter 5 proposes a model of deluded autobiographical memory that integrates Conway???s (2005) self-memory system with relevant aspects of Langdon and Coltheart???s (2000) two-factor theory of delusions. Using this proposed model as a framework, Chapter 5 discusses the clinical and theoretical implications of the findings from this thesis and suggests future research directions.

This program of research investigated the nature and processes of autobiographical memory deficits in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Study 1 examined the proposition that difficulties in the retrieval of specific memories present a risk factor for posttraumatic psychopathology. A prospective study of fire-fighters found that a significant predictor of posttraumatic stress was a deficit in retrieving specific memories to positive cues before trauma. Study 2 investigated whether autobiographical retrieval deficits in PTSD can be modified by psychological treatment. Results found that as PTSD symptoms reduced following treatment, individuals with PTSD retrieved more specific memories to positive cues. Together, these results indicated that specific retrieval deficits to positive cues present a vulnerability factor for PTSD. However, this memory style appears to be receptive to modification following therapy. Study 3 investigated the association between autobiographical retrieval deficits and impaired problemsolving in PTSD. Participants with PTSD retrieved more overgeneral categoric memories and took longer to retrieve memories than non-PTSD trauma controls. This deficit was associated with impaired social problem-solving, suggesting that specific retrieval is related to successful problem solving. In an analogue design, Studies 4 and 5 investigated the proposition that resource limitations may underpin autobiographical retrieval deficits. Results generally supported the proposal that reduced cognitive resources may be a mechanism contributing to specific retrieval deficits. Studies 6 and 7 examined rumination as another possible mechanism responsible for these retrieval deficits. Study 6 found high anxious participants retrieved fewer specific memories to positive cues following rumination, compared to distraction. Study 7 found evidence that negative rumination in the high anxious group increased categoric retrieval, whereas positive rumination had no effect. Study 8 found retrieval of trauma-related self-defining memories was strongly associated with personal goals connected to the trauma. Study 9 found that discrepancies in one???s self construct were related to the retrieval of trauma memories to positive cues. This program of research extends current theories of autobiographical memory by identifying risk, maintenance, and recovery factors in the context of PTSD.

This program of research investigated the nature and processes of autobiographical memory deficits in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Study 1 examined the proposition that difficulties in the retrieval of specific memories present a risk factor for posttraumatic psychopathology. A prospective study of fire-fighters found that a significant predictor of posttraumatic stress was a deficit in retrieving specific memories to positive cues before trauma. Study 2 investigated whether autobiographical retrieval deficits in PTSD can be modified by psychological treatment. Results found that as PTSD symptoms reduced following treatment, individuals with PTSD retrieved more specific memories to positive cues. Together, these results indicated that specific retrieval deficits to positive cues present a vulnerability factor for PTSD. However, this memory style appears to be receptive to modification following therapy. Study 3 investigated the association between autobiographical retrieval deficits and impaired problemsolving in PTSD. Participants with PTSD retrieved more overgeneral categoric memories and took longer to retrieve memories than non-PTSD trauma controls. This deficit was associated with impaired social problem-solving, suggesting that specific retrieval is related to successful problem solving. In an analogue design, Studies 4 and 5 investigated the proposition that resource limitations may underpin autobiographical retrieval deficits. Results generally supported the proposal that reduced cognitive resources may be a mechanism contributing to specific retrieval deficits. Studies 6 and 7 examined rumination as another possible mechanism responsible for these retrieval deficits. Study 6 found high anxious participants retrieved fewer specific memories to positive cues following rumination, compared to distraction. Study 7 found evidence that negative rumination in the high anxious group increased categoric retrieval, whereas positive rumination had no effect. Study 8 found retrieval of trauma-related self-defining memories was strongly associated with personal goals connected to the trauma. Study 9 found that discrepancies in one???s self construct were related to the retrieval of trauma memories to positive cues. This program of research extends current theories of autobiographical memory by identifying risk, maintenance, and recovery factors in the context of PTSD.

The prevalence of event clusters in autobiographical memory was examined with an event-cueing task in two parallel experiments. Event clusters are theoretical memory structures that bind specific personal events in narrative-like configurations. Prior research has shown that young adults report fewer event clusters when cued with childhood events than high school events (Brown, 2005). Experiment 1 tested whether the reduced prevalence of event clusters in childhood is due to forgetting. Experiment 2 used the same event cueing task with 4th grade children. Keeping event age constant, children reported a comparable amount of event clusters to adults recalling childhood events. Childrens relational judgments between event pairs differed from adults and may have inflated their responses. Together, these findings suggest that event clusters are consequences of other cognitive processes implicated in the development of autobiographical memory.

Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 2002. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 228-247). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pMQ71620.

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