Gender differences in overgeneralized autobiographical memory in survivors of torture with posttraumatic stress disorder

Abstract

Introduction

Persons suffering from PTSD show less episodic specificity in recalling autobiographical memories producing what is often referred to as “overgeneralized memories” as it is shown by scientific studies.

Objective

In this research, we are focusing our attention on whether this phenomenon is the same for both men and women or it shows gender specificity.

Method

The rehabilitation center for torture victims “Memoria” provided information about people who have recently experienced torture. Some of these victims of torture volunteered to participate in the current research. The participants were assessed with the Harvard trauma questionnaire in order to identify whether they suffer from PTSD or not. A sample of 40 torture survivors with PTSD was selected for the research–20 men and 20 women. The age range is between 20 and 45. On a computer screen, we presented the cue words with the task to recall a past event and time period (month or 5–20 years). The participants pressed a computer key indicating when an event had been recalled, and then, it was described in an audio recorder. The responses were scored 3 for a specific event, 2 a repeated over time event, 1 a general event, 0 none.

Results

Both sexes revealed a significant correlation between specificity for autobiographical memories and episodic simulations, only in case of women this correlation is higher compared with men (r = 0.83 P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Further research is needed in order to eliminate causalities and to extend the results on other populations.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.