Abstract
Being a victim of abuse in childhood can lead to the development of trauma-related psychopathology, which could affect the testimony of the child victim. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a factor that can increase both the levels of suggestibility and the production of memory errors, such as confabulations, which can be identified in distortions and fabrications. No studies have analyzed the relationship between suggestibility, fabrications, distortions, and PTSD on samples of children and adolescents suspected of being sexually abused. This study aims to verify in a sample of 221 sexually abused children and adolescents the effect of PTSD, measured by Trauma Symptoms Checklist for Children, in increasing the levels of immediate and delayed suggestibility and the production of fabrications and distortions in immediate and delayed memory tasks, obtained by Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale 2, controlling age and non-verbal intelligence. Our results show that PTSD increases the levels of immediate and delayed suggestibility, but it has no effect on memory recall in immediate recall tasks. Moreover, PTSD leads to a greater number of distorted and fabricated information inserted in delayed memory. Forensic implications of PTSD consequences on memory tasks and suggestibility levels of sexually abused children are discussed.
Highlights
IntroductionIdentifying the vulnerability of the minor to immediate and delayed suggestibility is very important (Ridley and Gudjonsson 2013; Eisen et al 2013)
As many of the child victims of abuse and maltreatment may be affected by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it is important to understand how PTSD affects memory processes and if it is associated with greater vulnerability to immediate and delayed suggestibility
Having lived through a traumatic experience may lead to developing PTSD, which can be associated with a greater number of memory errors, such as the two types of confabulations and vulnerability during a suggestive interview
Summary
Identifying the vulnerability of the minor to immediate and delayed suggestibility is very important (Ridley and Gudjonsson 2013; Eisen et al 2013). As many of the child victims of abuse and maltreatment may be affected by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it is important to understand how PTSD affects memory processes and if it is associated with greater vulnerability to immediate and delayed suggestibility. The main purpose of this study is focused on assessing the effect of trauma symptoms in increasing immediate and delayed suggestibility, as well as memory errors, such as fabrications and distortions in minors who are suspected victims of sexual abuse. Gudjonsson (1984, 1987) developed a tool to measure individual differences in immediate suggestibility, named Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale (GSS 1 and GSS 2)
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