Overgeneral Autobiographical Memory and Traumatic Events: An Evaluative Review

• Published in: Psychological bulletin 2007-05, Vol.133 (3), p.419-437
• Main Authors: Moore, Sally A, Zoellner, Lori A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological - physiology; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Amnesia; Anxiety disorders. Neuroses; Autobiographical Memory; Autobiography; Biological and medical sciences; Coping; Correlation; Defense Mechanisms; Depression; Depression (Psychology); Depressive Disorder - psychology; Emotional Trauma; Emotions; Emotions - physiology; Experiences (Events); Human; Human exposure; Humans; Life Change Events; Literature Reviews; Major Depression; Medical sciences; Memory; Memory - physiology; Mental depression; Mental Recall - physiology; Mood disorders; Post traumatic stress disorder; Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; Psychiatry; Psychological trauma; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Self Disclosure; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology; Stress Variables; Stress, Psychological - psychology; Trauma
• ISSN: 0033-2909; 1939-1455
• DOI: 10.1037/0033-2909.133.3.419

Does trauma exposure impair retrieval of autobiographical memories? Many theorists have suggested that the reduced ability to access specific memories of life events, termed overgenerality , is a protective mechanism helping attenuate painful emotions associated with trauma. The authors addressed this question by reviewing 24 studies that assessed trauma exposure and overgenerality, examining samples with posttraumatic stress disorder, acute stress disorder, depression, traumatic event exposure, and other clinical disorders. Limitations are discussed, including variations in assessment of events, depression, and overgenerality and the need for additional comparison groups. Across studies, there was no consistent association between trauma exposure and overgenerality, suggesting that trauma exposure is unlikely to be the primary mechanism leading to overgenerality. Instead, psychopathology factors such as depression and posttraumatic stress appear to be more consistently associated with overgenerality. Alternative overgenerality theories may help identify key overgenerality mechanisms, improving current understanding of autobiographical memory processes underlying psychopathology.