Article archive / October 1, 2014
Originally published: . Volume 5, No. 14. Source pages: 1, 8.
A new study from University of New Orleans psychological scientist, Dr. Carl Weems, and his team of researchers found evidence that children may be able to adapt to stressful events if, when followed by similar experience, there is a more positive outcome.
The study, published in the October issue of Journal of Experi- mental Psychology: General, is titled, “Memories of traumatic events in childhood fade after experiencing similar less stressful events: Results from two natural experiments.” The naturalistic study is the first test of “reconsolidation theory,” outside of the laboratory.
Weems and colleagues Justin Russell, Donice Banks, Rebecca Graham, Erin Neill, and Brandon Scott, conducted the two studies with New Orleans school children who experienced Hurricane Katrina and Gustav.
Explained to the Advocate, “This is a fairly substantial first- of-its kind finding,” Weems said. “We were able to confirm a promising line of laboratory research that suggests there may be an adaptive alteration of memories for traumatic events. That means when we experience similar events, in a less stressful way, our minds may re-interpret the past in a more positive light.”
They tested the reconsolidation model and augmentation model predictions about the course of traumatic memories in youth. The team looked at youngsters’ reports of the initial traumatic event, Hurricane Katrina, and then tested recall for both before and after a similar event, Hurricane Gustav.
According to the abstract, available on the American Psychological Psych Net, the researchers note, “Those with relatively high Gustav exposure showed more stability in their reports of Katrina exposure events.”
But, Dr. Weems told the Times, "I also want readers to know that this study in no way minimizes the fact that many of the Katrina children–some who are now adults–continue to suffer. The study shows that the kids in our two samples were reliable reporters of their experiences, but also that PTSD symptoms didn't seem to augment negative memories or make the kids less reliable informants/reporters.”
Also he noted “That findings have a number of potential research and legal implications-such as the reliability of youth testimony about traumatic experiences.”
“And while I have gotten some negative feedback––'no way are these kids forgetting Katrina' ––that isn't what we are saying,” said Weems. “The data shows that a relatively positive experience during Gustav was associated with less negative memories of Katrina–not that they have been forgotten.”
“A parent who recently read the story in the Advocate said to me ‘Of course that makes such intuitive sense to me, we all––in our family––felt so much better after Gustav,’ explained Dr. Weems.
Dr. Weems is looking now at possible follow-ups to this latest study. "I would like to try to see if these findings on disaster exposed youth are in any way linked to differences in the hippocampus or amygdala we have identified in youth exposed to interpersonal trauma, but also see if similar results emerge in youth with other types of traumatic experiences,” he told the Times.
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