Home
Who we are
The professional bodies
speak
Retractors speak
Feminists speak on FMS
In the news
Our Newsletter archives
Help for families
FMS reading list
Current projects
Church RMT counseling
Important dates
FMS Foundation
Other links
Are They Reliable?
Read
What the Experts
Have
to Say...
How can I tell if it's a true memory?
Can hypnosis or other techniques help me recover memories?
What are the symptoms of past sexual abuse?
Do memories of childhood sexual abuse get repressed?
About "recovered memories", keep in mind ...
Good therapists seldom if ever tell their patients ...How can I tell if it's a true memory?
"The AMA considers recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse to be of uncertain authenticity, which should be subject to external verification."
American Medical Association, Memories of Childhood Sexual Abuse, 1994."At present there are no scientifically valid criteria that would generally permit the reliable differentiation of true recovered memories of sexual abuse from pseudo memories."
Michigan Psychological Association, Recovered Memories Sexual Abuse: MPA Position Paper, 1995."The available scientific and clinical evidence does not allow accurate, inaccurate, and fabricated memories to be distinguished in the absence of independent corroboration."
Australian Psychological Society, Guidelines Relating to the Reporting of Recovered Memories, 1994."At this point it is impossible, without other corroborative evidence, to distinguish a true memory from a false one."
American Psychological Association, Questions and Answers abut Memories of Childhood Abuse, 1995."Psychologists acknowledge that a definite conclusion that a memory is based on objective reality is not possible unless there is incontrovertible corroborating evidence".
Canadian Psychological Association, Position Statement of Adult Recovered Memories of Childhood Sexual Abuse, 1996.
Can hypnosis or other techniques help me recover memories?
" The Council finds that recollections obtained during hypnosis can involve confabulations and pseudo memories and not only fail to be more accurate, but actually appear to be less reliable than non hypnotic recall."
American Medical Association, Council on Scientific Affairs, Scientific Status of Refreshing Recollections by the Use of Hypnosis, 1985."Psychiatrists are advised to avoid engaging in any 'memory recovery techniques' which are based upon the expectation of past sexual abuse of which the patient has no memory. Such 'memory recovery techniques' may include drug-mediated interviews, hypnosis, regression therapies, guided imagery, 'body memories', literal dream interpretation and journaling. There is no evidence that the use of consciousness-altering techniques, such as drug-mediated interviews or hypnosis can reveal or accurately elaborate factual information about any past experiences including childhood sexual abuse. Techniques of regression therapy including 'age regression' and hypnotic regression are of unproven effectiveness."
Royal College of Psychiatrists, Reported Recovered Memories of Child Sexual Abuse, 1997.(UK)
What are the symptoms of past sexual abuse?
" There is no uniform 'profile' or other method to accurately distinguish those who have sexually abused children from those who have not.."
American Psychiatric Association, Statement on Memories of Sexual Abuse, 1993."There is no single set of symptoms which automatically indicates that a person was a victim of childhood abuse. There have been media reports of therapists who state that people (particularly women) with a particular set of problems or symptoms must have been victims of childhood sexual abuse. There is not scientific evidence that supports this conclusion."
American Psychological Association, Questions and Answers about Memories of Childhood Abuse, 1995."Psychologists recognize that there is no constellation of symptoms which is diagnostic of child sexual abuse."
Canadian Psychological Association, Position Statement on Adult Recovered Memories of Childhood Sexual Abuse, 1996."Previous sexual abuse in the absence of memories of these events cannot be diagnosed through a checklist of symptoms."
Royal College of Psychiatrists, Reported Recovered Memories of Sexual Abuse, 1997.
Do memories of childhood sexual abuse get repressed?
"Most people who were sexually abused as children remember all or part of what happened to them although they may not fully understand or disclose it."
American Psychological Association, Working Group on Investigation of Memories of Child Abuse, 1996."While traumatic memories may be different than ordinary memories, we currently do not have conclusive scientific consensus on this issue."
International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Childhood Trauma Remembered: A Report on the Current Scientific Knowledge Base and its Applications, 1998."Because exactly what is meant by the terms 'repression' and 'dissociation' is far from clear, their use has become idiosyncratic, metaphoric, and arbitrary."
Scientific Advisory Board of the FMS Foundation, Statement on Recovered Memories, 1998.
About "recovered memories", keep in mind ...
"The use of recovered memories is fraught with problems of potential misapplication.... The AMA considers recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse to be of uncertain authenticity, which should be subject to external verification."
The American Medical Association, Council on Scientific Affairs, Memories of Childhood Sexual Abuse, 1994."Research has shown that over time memory for events can be changed or reinterpreted in such a way as to make the memory more consistent with the person's present knowledge and/or expectations."
American Psychological Association, Questions and Answers about Memories of Childhood Abuse, 1995"Memories also can be significantly influenced by a trusted person."
American Psychiatric Association, 1994.
Good therapists seldom if ever tell their patients ...
"You have the symptoms of someone who was abused."
"Studies show that (or, my experience is that) most people with (fill in the particular diagnosis or symptoms here) were sexually abused."
"If you think you were abused, then you probably were."
"Remembering is essential if you want to be healed."
"This technique (hypnosis, guided imagery, sodium amytal, etc.) is designed to help you remember."
"Suing (forgiving, detaching from, etc.) your family is a necessary part of healing."
"You have to get worse before you get better."
"Your body holds accurate memories of past events."
Statements That May Reflect Substandard PracticesTreating Patients with Memories ofAbuse: Legal Risk ManagementKnapp, S.J. Ed. D. and VanderCreek, L. Ph.D.American Psychological Association, 199The material on this page is a slightly adapted form of the FMS Foundation's flier, Recovered Memories: Are They Reliable, 1999, reproduced here with their permission.
For more information click on the following:
