FMSF 1997 False Memory Syndrom
Articles in This Issue
lrled to mount the predictable attacks but couldn't really of the btzarre aspects of the FMS phenomenon culled from get off the ground, tn part because they didn't know what to ~he FMS~ Legal Survey will be inspected. That information do with the data and in part because other therapists
Next month, we will include some of the frrst informaWhile public understanding of the memory issues has about the adverse health effects that the double increased, still, within the therapy community, there seems
We wish all our readers a fantasy and some are false, whether they are continuous
Anita Lipton and Merci Federici Family and Retractor Panel: DeaJing with the Legal System Moderator: Ralph Slovenko, J.D., PkD.
Office of Continuing Medical Education Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Turner 20, 720 Rutland Ave. Baltimore, MD 21205-2195
Families are welcome to attend the continuing education program. Professionals are welcome to attend the family program. The emphasis of each of these programs will be somewhat different, however. Members of the Foundation will be receiving brochures about both of these programs. Separate registrati
FAMILY CONFERENCE EVENINGS OF MARCH 21& 22,1997 CONFERENCE HEADQUARTERS 1743 West Nursery Rd.
CONFERENCE HEADQUARTERS 1743 West Nursery Rd.
1743 West Nursery Rd. 410/859-8300 Direct Line
February 1~7 Vol. 6 No.2 "The greatest crime of all in a civilized society is an unjust conviction." {IJ
that indicate many more repressed memory cases of which the Foundation is aware are being dismissed or dropped now than they were in 1992 when the Foundation was formed. We will also present data
FMS Foundaffon Newsletter February 1997 Vol. 6 No. 2
RoUNIJt wtt,s 1 oR CoNJI·RL\Ch CALOF DEFENSE FUND AND CHUCK NOAH
CALOF DEFENSE FUND AND CHUCK NOAH
Both Chuck Noah and David Calof are licensed counselors in Seattle, Washington. Neither graduated from college. There the similarity ends. David
fund are familiar names; Lloyd deMause, publisher of The Journal of Psychohistory that frequently publishes satanic conspiracy articles; Marjorie Orr, who uses astrology to diagnose abuse; and Gloria Steinem who was shown honoring Ben nett Braun in the Frontline documentary Search for Satan. The app
for March 22 and 23, 1997 in Baltimore. These semi-structured small groups give Foundation members the opportunity to discuss among themselves subjects that are of interest to them. Topics are recommended by
Reaching Churches about "Christian Therapy" and the Danger of FMS; A Returner in your Midst; Getting your Story out to the Media; Legal Remedies for Parents; Professionals
Continuing Education Program WHAT'S NEW IN THE MEMORY WARS ? Friday, March 21, 1997 For more information please call Johns Hopkins directly at
MEMORY AND REALITY: NEXT STEPS Saturday & Sunday March 22 & 23, 1997 For more information please refer to the registration form on the outside cover of this newsletter. Help us celebrate the Fifth Anniversary of FMSF.
AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION
Alan A. Stone, M.D. p 35-39 What's ahead: At the professional level, the diagnosis of multiple personality disorder (changed in 1994 to dissociative identity disorder) is coming under tremendous scrutiny. Two new books: Multiple Personality and False Memory by N. Spanos and Hoax & Reality: The bizar
later than usual In order for us to report on the
~ v.;yspTa=~~j\ll ~\Lof ~:~~~,;
who wrote: "Dear Mom and Dad," and "Love, Son" with an address where he lives-another complete change.
Q: Fetuses were used, okay. And a ritual meaning-what are you referring to as a Barbour: Ritual can be all kinds of
to the Methodist mandate to "make our churches safe places, protecting chil· dren and other vulnerable persons from sexual and ritual abuse," according to the organizers of the conference. The
to the Believe the Children organization. Believe the Children has been steadfast in its promotion of the existence of organized satanic ritual abuse
1995 concerned graduate student Evan Harrington who noted that the conference introduced racist conspiracy theories(!). According to Harrington, "Don Marqui, a self-described fonner 'school teacher and witch,' lectured about the satanic 'IIluminati' conspiracy, which he alleged President Bill
"Colorado Board... " 2nd paragraph: she was diagnosed and treated ... she was diagnosed by Dr. Dubovsky
Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark by the late Carl Sagan (Random House: 1995). This book exposes pseudoscience in many forms and the chapter on ''Therapy" is particu·
clearly fails to meet the criteria for admitting scientific evidence. Also reviews factors leading to the development of false memories, the repressed memory debate, current findings of the scientific community, and relevant case law in other jurisdictions. # 827 Transcripts of Expert Testimony at
The Memory and Reality: Next Steps was a remarkable conference for families, retractors and professionals. It was held on the weekend following the Hopkins/FMSF continuing education program. The mood of the conference was definitely"upbeat." We know much more about remembering and forgetting and ret
the FMS Foundation was described as the "Abusers Lobby." The American Coalition for Abuse Awareness was fanned through a merger with the organization started by Laura Bass and Renee Fredrickson. Marilyn Van Derbur produces material for One Voice.
Perhaps the most dramatic change is in the area of family reconciliation. In 1993 we did not ask the families if their accusing children had retracted because no family had
FMS Foundation Newsletter April 1997 Vol. 6 No. 4
Psychologists and psychiatrists at the Johns Hopklns University School of Medlcfne are conducting a research study on "Memory tor Facts and ContextsN and are seeking volunteer partlcl· pants. They are seeking adults (age 18 +) who have ever claimed to have first forgotten and then
The HMHL reports on two studiesOl in which psychotherapy for PTSD was not effective. The National Center for Post-traumatic Stress
explanation for our sufferingO)_ For example, if one were to become
mothers of malformed and nonmalformcd infants. Am J Epidemiology 129:415421, 1989. This column appears as a chapter in the book, Psvchology Agra)',' Fallades in Studies of 'Renressed Memory' mrd Childhood Trauma, by Harrison G. Pope, Jr. M.D., Social lsmes Resources Series, 1996.
Fallades in Studies of 'Renressed Memory' mrd Childhood Trauma, by Harrison G. Pope, Jr. M.D., Social lsmes Resources Series, 1996. Copies of this book are now available and may be obtained by writing to Social Issues Resources Series at I 100 Holland Drive, Boca Raton, Florida, 33427, or by calling
under "Our Critics" the reference to the preface of an e-mail solicitation of protest letters was ambiguous. The author of the preface was "martin" and the subject reference was
He believes that the flaws in this theory when extended to patients without explicit memory of trauma are: "first, dissociation is a chameleonlike process, perhaps as closely associated
Update. We noted that 7% of the adult children of the families who returned the survey had retracted and about 25% had "returned." ("Returners" is the term that we use to refer to children
lnscpll dt:RIVCLl CLul\ Uni\CI\Il)' We know from the reports of retractors that many people have developed false memory syndrome
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Psychology Astray: Fallacief jn Studies of "Repressed Memory" qnd Childhood Traumq, by Harrison G. Pope, Jr. M.D., Social Issues Resources Series, /996. Copies of this book are now available and may be obtained by writ·
by Harrison G. Pope, Jr. M.D., Social Issues Resources Series, /996. Copies of this book are now available and may be obtained by writ· illt:"' Socioll.f.flles ReJ·m1rces Series at 1100 Holland Drive, Boca Ratan, Florida, 33427, or
to infonn her that the techniques used are known to produce vivid, convincing, but false "memories." As a result of Fredrickson's "treatment," Doe became suicidally depressed for the first time in her life and made false accusations to her
In this case, brought by fanner patient, Brooke Lujan against Genesis Associates, U.S. District Court Judge John R. Padova rejected defendants' motions to dismiss all but one of the charges against them. Defendants had argued that
Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals Revisits Child Sexual Abuse Case United States v. Rouse, 1997 U.S. App. LEXIS 6659
in last month's FMSF Newsletter has been published in part as Jamerson v. Vandiver, 1997 Wash. App. LEXIS 492 (filed
time for their own children, then as a legacy for their grandA mental health provider shall infonn each patient of children. the mental health provider about: The Indiana legislation is an indication of dramatic at the broadest social level. Unfortunately, that does
be even more prone to appear on the extremist agenda and more difficult to challenge or effectively debate.'' It behooves us all to avoid an extremist style. What are the characteristics of extremist style? Included in Wilcox's
Elizabeth Loftus elected President of American Psychological Society
~the world have ,back issues and current subSqiptions. Does your libraty'l Send your ideas to Katie Spt%1UU!llo cJo
May 1996). The committee held four hearings in which senators and representatives heard from both mental health professionals and families devastated by the effects of repressed On April 17, 1997, Indiana
March. 6, 1997 by T. Renaud II, RThomasville, Georgia, a sponsor of House Bill No 440 which would allow
During 1996 and 1997 a growing number of state legislatures have recognized the problem of false reports of child abuse, particularly related to divorce cases. Connecticut set down
The Washington State Department of Health, Medical Quality Assurance Commission brought these charges two Texas Appellate Court Considers Malpractice Suit
structured interviews in which they an elegant mathematical treatment, far were asked detailed questions. more sophisticated than the simplistic Specified operational diagnostic crite- designs of Doctors Harrison and James ria were used both for the diagnosis of in the previous columns. Do these fin
American Psychological Association. Conway, Martin (Ed) (1997) Recovered Memories and False Memcries. Oxford Crews, Frederick (1995) The Memory
FMS Foundation News/€1"er July/August 1997 Vol. 6 No. 7 (1993) True Stories of False Memories.
Roseman, Mark, Craig, William & Scott, Gini (1997) You the Jury: Allegations of Sexual Abuse. Seven Locks Sagan, Carl ( 1995) The Demon-Haunted
Open Court Publishing. (FMSF Advisory Board) (Reviewed January 1995)
Shermer, Michael (1997) Why People Believe in Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our
From a Reh'aeHng Therapist ~This is not simply about questionIng the techniques you have been
like a form letter? Maybe this is the "A confrontation by jefter works exactly like one done In person. Both begin with the words: 'I am going to
CoUege of Psychiatrists London limes, June 11, 1997 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
suspected child abuse also grant immunity from prosecution to those who report "in good faith." It is with this plrrase, "in good faith," that a balance is struck between society's need
abuse as granting absolute immunity to reporters. The majority concluded that "imposing a duty on mental health professionals pursuant to the plaintiff's theory of liability in the present case would carry with it the impennissible risk of discouraging such professionals in the future from per~
Third-Party Lawsuit filed in Canada Bergen. et al v. C. Ross. T. Schultz. Govt. of Manitoba. College of Physicians and Surgeons. Univ. of Manitoba. Queen's Bench (Civil Division) Winnipeg Center, File No. Cl 97-01-023345
by John Wharton, Enterprise, June I, 1997 A summons has been reissued against several officers from the St. Mary's county sheriff's department and a social worker based on their actions in removing two minor children from a family home. Their father had been charged with the sexual abuse of his teen
by Dale Anne Freed, Toronto Star, May 16, 1997 Regina v. Cox, Ontario Court, Provincial Division. Five charges of sexual offenses were dropped on May 15, 1997 against a Toronto elementary school teacher
Alastair Macauley, The Financial Times, August 16, 1997. In Britain, "Anna Weiss" by Mike
what happened in the interviews before Jane spoke to Corwin? This article and comments show the complexity of the concerns of corroboration and ethics in
the case of one child exemplified many others. ''After his parents' divorce, Matthew, then 8 years old, began to experience behavioral problems. A social worker with a business relationship with a doctor associated with
allegations failed, in 1993 I published what I had learned in a book, First Do No Harm: the Sexual Abuse Industry. Shortly thereafter, I started to access
"Memory/Reality: Reconciliation." One of the conditions of my Fellowship was to present the conference . findings at post-graduate medical meetings throughout New Zealand the foJiowing year. However, a highly
. findings at post-graduate medical meetings throughout New Zealand the foJiowing year. However, a highly influential and wealthy group, Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care (DSAC), sent
sexual abuse histories and uncritically believing clients who say they are sexual abuse survivors. We may be over
Institute Day began with a discouraging reminder that the recovered memory controversy has become all too personal. For example, author and expert witness Jon Conte, Ph.D. in his workshop "Managing Memory in
cially attentive to Ms. Arango talk concerning basic concepts of personal finances. Many of the questions and comments indicated that these participants may have serious problems in
convinced that other professionals would also benefit from attending similar meetings. By gaining insight into the survivor's perspective, professionals may better understand the issues involved in the controversy, and, more important, what needs to be done to
peer review and publication on the phenomenon of repression and recovery of memories; 2) whether the phenomenon NEW HAMPSHIRE SUPREME COURT has been generally accepted in the psychological communiRULES REPRESSED MEMORY ty; 3) whether the phenomenon may be and has been empirTESTIMONY UNRELIABLE icall
has been generally accepted in the psychological communiRULES REPRESSED MEMORY ty; 3) whether the phenomenon may be and has been empirTESTIMONY UNRELIABLE ically tested; 4) the potential or known rate of recovered State of New HaJllllshire v. Hungerford I Morahan, 1995 WL 378571 (N.H. Super. Ct. May
The recovered repressed memory debate is being decid~ ed in the legal arena because of the lawsuits that were filed against parents and others. This month we report on two more appellate decisions not to extend the statute of limitations for repressed memories. In both of these cases the
Scientific Advisory Board. Letters and information: Our Readers. FMS Foundation Newsleffef October 1997 Vol. 6 No. 9
FMS Foundation Newsleffef October 1997 Vol. 6 No. 9
by Herbert Spiegel that Sybil, about whom the book was written, did not Sex~assault plaintiff threatened
This series is not imended to "'forgive" or exonerate the morally repugnant phenomenon of child sexual
Newsletter, we have examined retroM spective studies that purport to show scientific evidence of "repressed memory." As we have noted, however, such studies are fraught with methodologiM cal flaws, in that they rely on individuM
about their memories, we would have to take care to make sure that they were disclosing all that they remembered. We will discuss this issue in detail in the next two columns, but an
by Harrison G. Pope, Jr. M.D., Upton Books, 1996. Copies of this book are now available and may be obtained by writing to Social Issues Resources Series at 1100 Holland Drive, Boca Raton, Florida, 33427, or by calling I -800·
and members of the FMSF Scientific Advisory Board. Letters and information: Our Readers. Globe and Mail, September 16,1997
APPROVED PROVIDER OF CON· TINUING EDUCATION'FOR FIVE
APPROVED PROVIDER OF CON· TINUING EDUCATION'FOR FIVE
FMS Founctalfon Newsleffer November/997 Vol. 6 No. 10 A British Columbia woman was
FMS Founctalfon Newsleffer November/997 Vol. 6 No. 10 A British Columbia woman was wrongly accused by an anonymous
Recommendations for good practice and implications for training, continuing professional development and research. Royal College of Psychiatrists'Working Group on R<'porred Recm•ered Memories of Child Setual Abuse: Professor Syd11ey Brondon (Chair), Dr Janet Boakes, Dr Danya Gfaser, Professor Richar
is just that if one wants to find out what Psychology Astray: Fallacies jn Studies of science has to say about how memories "Repressed Memory" and Childhood Trauma. can be distorted in therapy, one is
by Bob Young, Oct. 22, 1997 Would you believe that in 1997 government money and hospital money is being used to pay "witches?" It is in Oregon. Author Bob Young has documented the extent to
Rice, who originally sought therapy with a hypnotherapist to stop smoking, developed memories of satanic ritual abuse and Mangis was brought in as a cult expert at the hospital when Rice was in a critical state.
"My memories first returned spontaneously, as I made clear in My Father's House. I was not in therapy. Before my memories returned no
and Incest, cosponsored by the University of Wisconsin and the Family Sexual Abuse Treatment, Inc. there was a session entitled "Beyond Abreaction" offered by Charme
client?) Does patient need a ride? Where is car parked? Does patient need time to cool down? Do you need time to cool down? Who will be at
It was funher part of the conspiracy that: ... the defendants and others would and did fraudulently treat the insured ·patients for MPD caused by unsubstantiated and unrealistic allegations and abuses, including satanic ritual
Althaus y. Cohen. Court of Common Pleas, Allegbeny Co., PA, No. 0092020893. In 1994, jury awarded $272,232 to 17-yr-old girl and her parents. In 12196 trial judge affirmed jury decision in strongly worded ruling, noting that as girl's charges became ''progressively more outlandish," the stories were
of action includes the implantation or encouragement of false memories of childhood abuse through the use of suggestive techniques. Of the 105 claims, I was dropped, 42
