Abstract

Intrusive memories are common following traumatic events and among the hallmark symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Most studies assess summarized accounts of intrusions retrospectively. We used an ecological momentary approach and index intrusive memories in trauma survivors with and without PTSD using electronic diaries. Forty-six trauma survivors completed daily diaries for 7 consecutive days recording a total of 294 intrusions. Participants with PTSD experienced only marginally more intrusions than those without PTSD, but experienced them with more “here and now quality,” and responded with more fear, helplessness, anger, and shame than those without PTSD. Most frequent intrusion triggers were stimuli that were perceptually similar to stimuli from the trauma. Individuals with PTSD experienced diary-prompted voluntary trauma memories with the same sense of nowness and vividness as involuntary intrusive trauma memories. The findings contribute to a better understanding of everyday experiences of intrusive reexperiencing in trauma survivors with PTSD and offer clinical treatment implications.

Highlights

  • Intrusive memories are common following traumatic events and among the hallmark symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

  • Forty-six trauma survivors completed daily diaries for 7 consecutive days recording a total of 294 intrusions

  • The findings contribute to a better understanding of everyday experiences of intrusive reexperiencing in trauma survivors with PTSD and offer clinical treatment implications

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Summary

Introduction

Intrusive memories are common following traumatic events and among the hallmark symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Spontaneous and emotion-laden intrusion of traumatic memo- from the trauma (Ehlers, Hackmann, & Michael, 2004) They tend ries is a core feature of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), one to occur “out of the blue,” and survivors are often unaware of what of the most frequent psychological problems following trauma triggered the memory: a motor vehicle accident (MVA) survivor (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Another large-scale study found that whereas intrusive licenses/by/3.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

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