Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate cognitive behavior therapists and trainees’s beliefs about various aspects of traumatic memory and to investigate cognitive behavior therapists’ practices in relation to alleged traumatic experiences and whether they are linked with their beliefs about various aspects of traumatic memory.

Design/methodology/approach

In the current study, the authors surveyed, by a questionnaire (in Italian), certified Italian cognitive behavioral (CB) therapists and trainees with respect to their beliefs in traumatic memories and whether they discussed about the possibility of repressed memory with their patients.

Findings

The majority of participants held strong beliefs about many controversial aspects related to traumatic memory, such as the mind being able to block out of consciousness memories of traumatic experiences. Also, more than half of CB therapists stated that they sometimes discussed about the importance of traumatic events in the genesis of their patient’s disorder and half of them sometimes talked with patients about memories for traumatic events of which they may be unaware. Such practices could lead to false memories of abuse

Originality/value

One particularly novel finding relates to the evidence that therapists reported that they had discussed with patients the importance of traumatic events in the genesis of their illness and frequently noted that they talked about the possibility of repressed memories with them. In turn, patients may be induced to recall traumatic experiences from their lives, thereby producing false memories which may tear families apart and could even lead to wrongful convictions.

中文翻译：

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意大利认知行为治疗师和学员中与创伤记忆相关的信念和治疗实践

目的

本研究的目的是调查认知行为治疗师和受训者对创伤记忆各个方面的信念，并调查认知行为治疗师与所谓的创伤经历相关的实践，以及它们是否与他们对创伤记忆各个方面的信念相关。

设计/方法论/途径

在当前的研究中，作者通过问卷（意大利语）对经过认证的意大利认知行为（CB）治疗师和学员进行了调查，了解他们对创伤记忆的信念以及他们是否与患者讨论了压抑记忆的可能性。

发现

大多数参与者对与创伤记忆相关的许多有争议的方面持有坚定的信念，例如大脑能够阻止创伤经历的意识记忆。此外，超过一半的CB治疗师表示，他们有时会讨论创伤事件在患者疾病发生过程中的重要性，其中一半有时会与患者谈论他们可能不知道的创伤事件的记忆。这种做法可能会导致对虐待的错误记忆

原创性/价值

一项特别新颖的发现与治疗师报告的证据有关，他们曾与患者讨论过创伤事件在其疾病发生中的重要性，并经常指出他们与患者谈论了压抑记忆的可能性。反过来，患者可能会被诱导回忆起生活中的创伤经历，从而产生错误的记忆，从而导致家庭破裂，甚至可能导致错误的定罪。