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Can memories of childhood sexual abuse be repressed?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Harrison G. Pope Jr  and
James I. Hudson
Harrison G. Pope Jr*
Affiliation:
Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
James I. Hudson
Affiliation:
Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Harrison G. Pope Jr, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02178. USA.
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Synopsis

We sought studies which have attempted to test whether memories of childhood sexual abuse can be repressed. Despite our broad search criteria, which excluded only unsystematic anecdotal reports, we found only four applicable studies. We then examined these studies to assess whether the investigators: (1) presented confirmatory evidence that abuse had actually occurred; and (2) demonstrated that their subjects had actually developed amnesia for the abuse. None of the four studies provided both clear confirmation of trauma and adequate documentation of amnesia in their subjects. Thus, present clinical evidence is insufficient to permit the conclusion that individuals can repress memories of childhood sexual abuse. This finding is surprising, since many writers have implied that hundreds of thousands, or even millions of persons harbour such repressed memories. In view of the widespread recent public and scientific interest in the areas of trauma and memory, it is important to investigate further whether memories of sexual abuse can be repressed.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 25 , Issue 1 , January 1995 , pp. 121 - 126
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

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