The study of autobiographical memory in immigrant adolescents suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Subject Areas : Thoughts and Behavior in Clinical Psychology

Mostafa Ahadi ¹ , Ali Reza Moradi ² , Jafar Hasani ³

1 - دپارتمان روان شناسی بالینی، دانشگاه خوارزمی تهران، تهران، ایران
2 - دپارتمان روان شناسی بالینی، دانشگاه خوارزمی تهران، تهران، ایران
3 - دپارتمان روان شناسی بالینی، دانشگاه خوارزمی تهران، تهران، ایران

Received: 2015-08-08 Accepted : 2015-08-08 Published : 2015-03-21

Keywords: autobiographical memory, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), immigrant adolescents,

Abstract :

Post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder which is characterized by persistent re-experiencing, avoidance, arousal and cognitive and emotional symptoms in direct or indirect response while faced with traumatic events. Post-traumatic stress disorder, will cause several problems in behavior. Although adults with post-traumatic stress disorder suffer from memory impairment, but little information is available on children’s field suffering post-traumatic stress disorder. The purpose of this study was to evaluate autobiographical memory in the immigrant adolescents with traumatic stress disorder. For this purpose, in a comparative study, 22 young immigrants suffering the disease were selected as the target group, and they were compared to 22 young immigrant who did not have any criteria of post-traumatic stress disorder in terms of the autobiographical memory, anxiety and depression. Comparing the means indicated that people with post-traumatic stress disorder are significantly weaker than normal in the autobiographical memory function. While there was no significant differences between the two groups in terms of depression and anxiety. The current studies suggest that the autobiographical memory of post-traumatic stress disorder should be considered as an important factor in diagnostic and therapeutic study.