FMSF 2001 False Memory Syndrom

belief in repressed memories, the others are evidence of the larger panic about sexual abuse in our culture. Although blind faith in the accuracy of recovered memories seems to be dying, that belief also seems like a weed with roots stretching beneath the surface so that when it is

The Body Remembers: The Psychophysiology of Trauma and Babette Rothschild, W.W. Norton, 2000

Gladstone et al. Am 1 Psychiatry 156:3 The results of this study indicate that depression is unlikely a direct consequence of childhood sexual abuse.

Johnson v. Ro~ers Memorial Hospital The lawsuit filed by Charles and Karen Johnson against Rogers Hospital, Kay Phillips, Jeff Hollowell and Tim

such as not discussing the case on TV. a wrong answer, the prosecutor just In April 2000, Gerald petitioned the repeated the question until the "right"

lf you have questions about how to include the FMSF in your estate planning, contact Charles O!.viness 800-289-9060. (Available 9:00• .J\M

In the July/August newsletter we wrote about the auction of paintings by Bruce Perkins at the April FMSF conference in White Plains. Bruce resides in a Texas prison because of

Smiling tbrougb Tears Pamela Freyd and Eleanor Goldstein

CoNTACTS & MEmNGS - UNITED STATES

Andover- 2nd Sun. (MO)@ 1pm Joanne & Gerald (916) 933-3655

ed sexual abuse cases has declined by 31 percent since 1992. Second, a study has been conducted by the state of

(See sidebar on page 11.) Some FMS situations have happy endings. Unfortunately, too many do not. In "Letter from Ohio" (page 10) you will read about a daughter who returned only to find that her father had Alzheimer's and didn't recognize

(page 10) you will read about a daughter who returned only to find that her father had Alzheimer's and didn't recognize her. In Dave Scheiber's moving article "A Full Life Ends With Rift Unresolved" on page 8, you will learn about the life ofirene Miller, the person who recently told her story to

by Charcot in a footnote became, from doctor to patient and patient to doctor, an irresistible, self-propagating machine and a powerful cultural myth. That is to say, a new reality. That is to

Child Sexual Abuse Cases Decline

ity differs when true and false memories are retrieved. The researchers ere~ ated false memories in volunteers and studied their brain waves as they did so. They created false memories by using techniques developed by

Testing Documentation Methods Berliner, L. with Lieb, R. Washington State Institute for Public This study shows that audio taping

mentation. Videotaping was more expensive, cameras are less portable and they bothered some children.

Candace's adoptive mother believed that the girl suffered from attachment disorder, an inability to bond with her caretaker. She took Candace to Colorado therapists who believed that

Rebirthing therapy was shown on the 1995 Frontline documentary about recovered memory therapy, "Divided "Men, it has been well said, think in

and patient have invoked "confidentiality_" By their silence, professional organizations have condoned a practice that led to the destroying of families and reputations. Professional organizations have not protected the public, and they have

made as therapists Connell Watkins and Julie Ponder lay on top of pillows and a blanket covering Candace (I 0 years old and 70 pounds). Candace's stepwmother had brought her to these therapists for "rebirthing," a treatment that the therapists claimed would cure her attachment disorder. In the days

3. Kohler, J. ''Prosecutors wrap up in therapy death case" Rocky Moull/ain News 4. Fink, P. '"The attack on psychotherapy" Cinicaf Psyclliatry News, Nov. 1998: FMSF Newsle11er Jan!Feb 1999.

Anderson, M.C. & Green, C. Nature vol. 410, March 15,2001 inhibition was seen after 8 attempts to matic event and fail in their attempts to

and recovered memories of examination on how attempts to sup- This outcome may also explain some childhood sexual abuse imply a develpress thoughts affect memory. phenomena associated with retrieval

were ultimately exonerated on appeal. After Exposure to Misinformation is seriously and obviously

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) has been ordered to revamp investiga- FMS Foundaffon Newsleffer MAY/JUNE 2001 Vol. 10 No. 3

Sawyer v. MjdeiFoo, 1999 Wise. LEXIS 86. June 29. 1999. 3. See FMSF Newsletter 8 (8) December 1999. !llioojs Department of Pmfessjona! Reculatjon v. Benneu G BTIU!Il. M.O. 199810343-0l.

!llioojs Department of Pmfessjona! Reculatjon v. Benneu G BTIU!Il. M.O. 199810343-0l. FMS Foundation Newsleffer MAY/JUNE 2001 Vol. 10 No. 3

by Brown, Scheflin and Whitfield.l21 This month we reprint Piper et al.'s response to the Brown, Scheflin and Whitfield statement that most courts have found recovered memory testimony admissable. Piper et al. wrote: "One of 1he most inaccurate implications made by Brown

Cases addresing the validity of repressedlrecovrered memory as a basis for tolling the

Cases addresing the validity of repressedlrecovrered memory as a basis for tolling the statute of limitations.

ously, but problems caused by misinformation about memory are diminishing rapidly. To the extent that the problems affecting families are part of larger social problems, however, change is far more complex. To say, for example, that therapy should be safe

"Elizabeth Loftus is an example of the rare scientist who is instrumental both in advancing a scientific disci~ pline and in using that discipline to make critical contri~

knowledge of recovered memories. the outstanding 60 Minutes segment on The Truth and Hype of Hypnosis

between memory and fantasy and may well the excruciating moment when The Seven Sins of Memory: How the artificially inflate confidence." Among they discovered that a loved offspring Mind Forgets and Remembers

Advertising Can Change Our Braun, K.A., Ellis, R., & Loftus, E. F.

the complaints and the Johnsons appealed. Oral arguments for the Johnsons were given by William Smoler and Gregory P. Seibold. Oral arguments for defendant Rogers Memorial

For a recent discussion of third-party suits see: Appelbaum, P.S. "Thirdpany suits against therapists in recovered-memory cases" Psychiatric Services, 52 (I), January 2001, p. 27, 28. New York's Highest Court Allows Experts on

Candace's adoptive mother Jeane Newmaker, a pediatric nurse from Raleigh, North Carolina, paid $7,000 to Connell Watkins and Associates for

What Parents Can and Can't Do

private rather than made public, and about I0 percent had some type of legal action taken against them. Over 36 percent of the families indicated that they had a "returner," and

to the family before they retracted. The length of time famwill certainly ring true to FMS families. The challenge to ilies were separated from the accusing offspring ranged families and professionals, now that we have some idea of the circumstances that led offspring to make unilateral cut~

recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse rely more on gist memory." The experiment suggests that recovered memory participants are characterized by an informationprocessing style that may render them prone to believing they experienced certain events when, in fact, they experienced other, broadl

memories of childhood sexual abuse report more symptoms of psychological distress and they display elevated scores on measures of dissociation and absorption. Second, individuals reporting recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse can counteract the memory-distorting effects of guided imagery in

memories of abuse did not exhibit the predicted superior ability to forget trauma-related material in the laboratory. Fourth, unlike patients with posttraumatic stress disorder, including those who have suffered sexual assault, individuals reporting repressed or recovered memories of sexual abuse di

"A Demonstration and Comparison of Two 1Ypes of Inference-Based

A man in his 70s has filed a $4 million lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Portland claiming that he was sexually abused by a priest when he was an altar

being arrested on 29,726 charges of child sex abuse involving 43 children. All 18 people convicted in the Wenatchee "sex ring" cases have now been freed either because their cases were overturned or because they agreed to plea agreements to get out of prison. Douglas County sheriff, Dan LaRoche said

abuse. Bastian said Roberson's !!-year-old daughter, Rebecca, was the focus of the investigation. "Children that show deviant behavior at a young age are often victims of

her 20s, who said she was a toddler when she was abused. 'How could we (the victims) all come up with the same stories if we were not molested

ers and retractors. Families of refusers more often reported that they had no contact with the accuser. Retractors and returners were less likely to have brought legal actions against the accused than did refusers. All of these trends

be required reading by professionals. Feld's column offers direct and simple ways for professionals to think about their work and keep their perspectives fresh. Pankratz tackles the minefield of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with a message that some may find uncomfortable: PTSD can be

The Foundation has been collecting information about the conditions that influence reconciliation with our estranged children. Our personal and collective responses to the questionnaires have been critical to the research program in its effort to identify the factors that

DSMM V Scheduled for 2010 Publication The American Psychiatric Association expects to publish the Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual in 2010. The long delay allows time to define and stimulate the research that will be needed to provide a

"Law gives aduils more time to sue for childhood sexual abuse" Associated Press. Aug. 3 I. 2001. Guided Imagery and Memory:

Ontario Doctor Loses License A disciplinary committee of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario revoked the license of Dr.

Since my major professional activity had been teaching graduate students in a Master of Social Work (MSW) program, I sometimes wonder what I might say to them today. I have had

6. Put your theoretical approach into everyday language so that the client can understand it well enough to describe it accurately to you and to lay people. The

had expired for Rodney Grantham, an employee at Shults-Lewis in the 60s who admitted abusing the girls. This was the third attempt at a trial

McDaniel wrote to his daughter after the fateful rebirthing session, Ransome asked, "We should put this man in jail? Prosecutor Laura Dunbar painted a

The presumptive range for sentencing was probation to 4-16 year prison terms. Judge Tidball stated both

us know that his younger sister, also estranged from us, had been diagnosed with an aggressive, possibly tenninal cancer. He wrote that he did not expect

He wrote that his sister did not know he had written to us and was going to be upset with him for doing so. He asked us not to contact her