Beliefs and therapeutic practices related to traumatic memories among Italian cognitive behavioral therapists and trainees

Abstract

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.

Citation

Zappalà, A., Mangiulli, I., Santtila, P., Loftus, E.F. and Otgaar, H. (2024), "Beliefs and therapeutic practices related to traumatic memories among Italian cognitive behavioral therapists and trainees", Journal of Criminal Psychology, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 24-37. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCP-05-2023-0035