Impact of external cognitive appraisal on intrusive memories

Background. Symptoms of compulsive repetition or “intrusion” (unwanted thoughts, flashbacks, images, disturbing dreams, nightmares) are often considered as a distinctive feature of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cognitive models claim that PTSD symptoms are stimulated and become chronic due to an overly negative assessment of the traumatic experience and/or its consequences. The relevance of the study is due to the possibility of using external assessments as an early psychological aid tool.

Objective. The work aims to repeat the study of the University of New South Wales (Australia) on the degree of influence caused by various types of external cognitive assessment of obsessive memories on the frequency and intensity of their subsequent occurrence. The research targets to create a precedent in Russia for the study of traumatic stress in the laboratory.

Sample. 30 healthy psychology students participated in the study. Their stress level results did not exceed the level of normative values.

Methods. The main method of research was the experiment. Participants who received one of two preliminary instructions giving either a benevolent or a control assessment of obsessive memories were offered to watch a film with scenes of a real car accident. Having watched a traumatic film, the participants solved a problem on cognitive interference. Then the presence/absence and intensity of intrusive memories were recorded with the use of the Intrusion subscale of the Traumatic Event Impact Assessment Scale (IES-R) and two questions on the beliefs about intrusions.

Results. The study showed that watching a traumatic film causes an equally low level of obsessive memories in groups with positive and control instructions.

Conclusion. The results of two studies (University of New South Wales and Lomonosov Moscow State University) showed similar trends regarding the level of intensity of obsessive memories for groups with benevolent and control instructions. The study provides initial causal evidence that a maladaptive external assessment can enhance the occurrence of obsessive memories, despite the fact that a benevolent or control interpretation of symptoms has no such side effect. This observation is important to take into account when conducting psychoeducation. The practice of studying traumatic stress in the laboratory is evaluated as positive and recommended for use in Russia.

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