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Allegations of child sexual abuse: delayed reporting and false memory

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Peter Byrne  and
Noel Sheppard
Peter Byrne
Affiliation:
St John of God Hospital, Stillorgan, Co Dublin, Ireland
Noel Sheppard
Affiliation:
St Otteran's Hospital, Waterford, Ireland
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Abstract

Eleven case histories, including diagnoses and outcome, are presented of patients who made, or were the subject of, allegations of sexual abuse, but where these allegations were subsequently withdrawn or disproved. How such situations come about is discussed, with special reference to the false memory syndrome, a term made popular by recent media coverage. Given the complexity of this ‘syndrome’, an argument is put forward that diagnostic guidelines be established so that direct studies of its natural history and treatments may be undertaken.

Keywords

False memory syndromeMemoryChild sexual abuseFactitious illnessFalse allegations
Type
Case Reports
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 12 , Issue 3 , September 1995 , pp. 103 - 106
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

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