The problem of child abuse and its effects on the subsequent years of a person’s life is of increasing concern to memory scientists and clinicians. They believe that memory loss can be caused by physical, emotional, or psychological stress. Although memories can be forgotten for some time, according to the current findings, memory problems in healthy adults are especially connected with childhood trauma experiences.
1) Short-term memory. Scientists believe that short-term and long-term memory affect the lives of victims who faced traumatic experiences in childhood. In the short term, an individual may forget traumatic memories of childhood and not reflect on past experiences for a while. However, in the long term, some the researchers argue that a person cannot completely lose memories of childhood abuse but can store them in memory storage for recall. Most memory experts and clinicians believe that, while it is uncommon, lost memory of early childhood trauma can be remembered later.
2) Long-term memory. Moreover, these experts also concur that compelling pseudo memories of events that never happened may be created. One key feature of false memories of sexual abuse is that they frequently concern emotionally terrible situations and, in some cases, repeat incidents of abuse (American Psychological Association, 1995). Psychologists agree that most individuals who were sexually assaulted as children recall all or part of what occurred to them, even if they do not completely comprehend or share it (American Psychological Association, 1995). In addition, victims may have segmental memories or memory gaps surrounding the period of the assault, although further research is needed.
In conclusion, some scientists believe that childhood trauma may cause problems with memory retention for a while but may later be reflected in adulthood. Memories are kept in memory storage and cannot be remembered for a length of time. Nevertheless, most people can recall significant events that occurred to them as children in details. Many psychologists who work with trauma victims feel that this is a person’s strategy of avoiding uncomfortable memories.
Reference
American Psychological Association. (1995). Questions and answers about memories of childhood abuse. American Psychological Association. Web.