FMSF 2006 False Memory Syndrom

We plunge into 2006 with ever-expanding support for the positions of the FMSF. On page 3 you will find Richard McNally, Ph.D.'s "Folklore of Buried Memories," a succinct "op ed" piece summarizing the science of recovered

of the mixed scientific acceptance of recovered memories as we begin the 15th year of the Foundation. The first is by FMSF advisor Harrison Pope, Jr., M.D., and the second is from a recent decision by Judge Sandra L. Dougherty of

We extend a very special "Thank you" to all of the people who help prepare the FMSF Newsletter. Editorial Support: Janet Fetkewicz, Howard Fishman, Peter Freyd, Members of the FMSF Scientific Advisory Board and Members who

"Roseanne, actress, on her behavior in the early 1990s, including her claims that she had been sexually abused by family members." Notebook. (2004, April 19). Time, p. 19.

sexual abuse perpetrated by a trusted adult. They described it as having been upsetting, confusing, and disturbing, but not traumatic in the sense of being overwhelmingly terrifying. Failing to

abuse, as opposed to relying on the prior records of the subjects' documented childhood abuse, the numbers suggested that childhood abuse was strongly and significantly associated with the development of pain syndromes and alcohol and drug abuse in

trauma is related to DRM performance of women reporting recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse. Consciousness and Cognition, 14(3), 602-612.

July 13, 2001, Tell Me About It Albuquerque Journal, D5. FMS Foundation Newsletter JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2006 Vol. 15 No. 1

JOHN DOE, TODD S. RIVERS, a married man, in his sole and separate right, Plaintiff, FATHER FLANAGAN'S BOYS HOME. a Nebraska

Corporation, and JAMES E. KELLY, Defendants. (Todd Rivers claimed that he suffered from repressed memory and that was the reason for his delay in filing a lawsuit alleging that he

ADJUDGED AND DECREED that the Defendants' Motion in Limine No. 1 regarding repressed memory shall be sustained and that Defendants' Motion in Limine No. 2 shall be sustained."

by Harrison G. Pope, Jr., M.D. How People Come to Believe They Were Kidnapped by Aliens

readers. Chapter 3, "Why do I have memories if it didn't happen?" will be of particular interest. In an article in the British press about her research, Clancy wrote:

CBS is remaking the movie Sybil with plans to air it this spring. It was filmed in Halifax during January and February, is directed by Joseph Sargent, and stars Jessica

fears and imagination and incite a small panic? Will the Sheriff's Department read the papers by Lanning, Goodman et al., and LaFontaine that we provided? These two events are a reminder that the beliefs that

expressed in the commentary by Charles Pragnell on page 5. Readers will also likely appreciate the review of the recovered-memory phenomenon by FMSF Advisor Martin Thanks for your support, and please remember to send

1. Trask, N. (2006, February 16). Legendary director wraps Halifax film. Halifax 2. , (2006, January 5). Information sought on Satanic sex assault decades old. Petoskey News-Review. Retrieved from on February 20,

scientific societies in four English-speaking countries on dissociative amnesia. He noted that the American Medical Society considers the "existence of repression as considerably controversial and declares recovered memory reports to be unreliable without corroboration." He described the Royal Colle

The CBS Team Att: Mike Wallace

200 possible cases of multiple personality disorder in the history of the world. Following Sybil, and especially following the enthralling 1976 movie, a psychiatric tsunami swept North America and thousands and thousands

described the Outreau Case in France, the largest pedophilia case ever in that country. After 13 people were jailed and families and reputations destroyed, the case fell apart. French President Jacques

Reprinted from Pope, H.G., Oliva, P.S. & Hudson, J. I. (2002). Scientific Status of Research on Repressed Memories. In D.L. Faigman, D.H.Kaye, M.J. Saks & J. Sanders (Eds.) Modern Scientific Evidence. St. Paul, MN: West Group. Posted with permission of Pope et al. performed a non-selective literatur

vivid immediacy and wealth of detail."

Amnesia only briefly mentioned; no cases pre Study of hospital-based personnel who worked

1989 Newcastle Earthquake

at 1 month and at 2 years post combat. However, the study provides no documentation that failure to report an event at either time point indicates amnesia for the event.

Are we experiencing a mini-resurgence of the beliefs that fueled the recovered memory phenomenon? A reader sent us the following:

"I. Labeling Sybil as a multiple personality." "2. Assigning the multiple personalities their personal characteristics and planting [a personality] rather than probing "3. Inventing the primal scene, the grand illusion of an

haven't asked for wilhdr.~wal of 'Can of Worms: Victoria Government Releases

memory therapy is no longer a problem, and it fudges important research findings. It does, however, have good recommendations for professional bodies about training and professional

2005). The bizarre circumstances of her death pointed out that Katie had been a seriously disturbed young woman. The Kentucky Innocence Project and attorney Patrick J. Lamb of

MAY/JUNE 2006 Vol. 15 No. 3

schizoid] self. But I was in my thirties, had attended college and grad school,

MAY/JUNE 2006 Vol. 15 No. 3 mation sessions." At "Understanding and Managing Dissociation: From

parents and siblings, never spent a day without grieving the lost treasure of our daughter. It is difficult to believe that this kind of human cruelty to good families and fragile people can take

By Harrison G. Pope, Jr. and James I. Hudson $1000 reward to anyone who can produce a published case of ''repressed memory" (in fiction or non-fiction) prior to 1800 Our research suggests that the concept of "repressed memory" or "dissociative amnesia" might be simply a romantic notion dating from t

Month after month after month we repeat the observation: research in understanding how people may develop false memories continues its solid move forward, but many who hold the belief in the reliability of recovered

"I said that the phenomenon of a recovered memory can happen but is unlikely. In actuality, the position of the American Psychological Association is that it is possible for memories of abuse that have been forgotten for a long time to

release in mid-July. Unless Warner Brothers and CBS provide information that the Sybil story is highly fictionalized, the confusion about recovered memories is likely to increase. FMSF Newsletter readers may want to sharpen their pencils in preparation.

just don't have access to the internet. Toward the end of summer, we will be mailing our annual fund raising letter. It will be sent several weeks earlier than in the past in order to make needed changes in our records. In it we will inquire if you are able to receive the newsletter electronically.

memory. Boston Globe, A10. 3.Powel vs. Chaminade College No. SC86875. Supreme Court of Missouri, June 13, 2006, Filed. 2006 Mo. LEXIS 76. 4. Doe, Appellee vs. Archdiocese of Cincinnati et al., Nos. 205-0702 and 205-0734, Supreme Court of Ohio, 2006 Ohio 2625; 2006 Ohio

The results of the hearings remain to be seen, but the examination of the case is fascinating in both human and investigative terms. In May, for example, we learned about the discovery of a police file that outlined the police

2. Commenting on the 1995 report: "One welcomed the decision of the BPS to set up a Working Party to report on the widely debated question of "Recovered Memories." Indeed, given the deep clinical and social importance of the question it was prudent for it to do

the decision of the BPS to set up a Working Party to report on the widely debated question of "Recovered Memories." Indeed, given the deep clinical and social importance of the question it was prudent for it to do so. In the event, unfortunately, the Report of the

(Reprinted from FMSF Newsletter, 4 (7)) The British Psychological Society (BPS) conducted a survey of its the Working Party of the BPS" issued in January, 1995. The survey, "BPS Questionnaire on Memories of Early Sexual Abuse," was sent to all 4005

were not reported. Instead, the BPS Working Party stated in its Executive summary of the report (page 3): • ..."There is no reliable evidence at present that this is a widespread phenomenon in the UK". (The members of the BPS Working Party are listed as: Bernice Andrews, John Morton, Debra A. Bekeri

FODDER FOR SATIRE, THE SITUATION MUST BE GETTING BETTER. Repressed-Memory Therapist Recovers Rockford Files Episode (A Retelling. For original story see

MUST BE GETTING BETTER. Repressed-Memory Therapist Recovers Rockford Files Episode (A Retelling. For original story see

Repressed-Memory Therapist Recovers Rockford Files Episode (A Retelling. For original story see

Standing in line at the Post Office last week, we started to giggle. On a wall behind the clerk was a poster with the words: "Create Memories With Mail." For those of us

in Satanic ritual abuse. (See p. 4.) She explains why one needs to be skeptical when TPM claims that it is not "recovered memory therapy." Theophostic counseling is growing at lightening speed and producing its own spin-offs. Virginia-based Restoration in Christ Ministries (RCM) is one such spin-off

abuse, it can not be discounted. He writes: "Granted, the victims' memories may be distorted and contain false information, but there is the possibility that the emotional duress these people display may have experiential roots. It is not likely that people can become this emotionally battered just

Theophostic Counseling

told me he had driven four hours each way to hear me speak. Why? Because a woman in his church, with no history of sexual abuse, had been talked into engaging in TPM. Within a very short

by Paul McHugh (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006) includes one of the first scholarly articles questioning the reliability of recovered memories. "Psychiatric Misadventures" [1] is as timely now as it was when first published in 1992. Dr. McHugh, who as chairman of the Department of

Sydney Siemer. In June 2003, Richard passed out flyers to Siemer's neighbors telling them Siemer had abused his daughter. Siemer filed a restraining order stating that Richard and Susan

Our Readers" section first. I have been a contributor to the Foundation and reader of the newsletter since 1993 when the virus first hit my family and I have written a few letters and e-mails

"In our view, disease mongering is the selling of sickness that widens the boundaries of illness and grows the markets for those who sell and deliver

by Dr. Paul Simpson. I immediately SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006 Vol. 15 No. 5 read it twice, and I was so relieved to

Footfalls echo in the memory Down the passage which we did not Towards the door we never opened.

"Ritual abuse may now seem an almost quaint aberration, a temporary fad that seized the popular imagination, as outdated as hula-hoops or disco fever." Fister, B. (2003). The devil in the details: Media representation of "ritual abuse" and evaluation of sources. Studies in Media & Information Litera

The next mailed newsletter will be sent in early March. 1 9 5 5 L o c u s t S t r e e t , P h i l a d e l p h i a , PA 1 9 1 0 3 - 5 7 6 6 , 2 1 5 - 9 4 0 - 1 0 4 0 , F a x 2 1 5 - 9 4 0 - 1 0 4 2 , w w w. F M S F o n l i n e . o r g and Sciences, not as past-president of the American

1 9 5 5 L o c u s t S t r e e t , P h i l a d e l p h i a , PA 1 9 1 0 3 - 5 7 6 6 , 2 1 5 - 9 4 0 - 1 0 4 0 , F a x 2 1 5 - 9 4 0 - 1 0 4 2 , w w w. F M S F o n l i n e . o r g and Sciences, not as past-president of the American Psychological Society and winner of its prestigious William

Aaron T. Beck, M.D., Receives FMSF Advisor Aaron Beck, M.D. has been chosen as a 2006 recipient of

by Justice R.A. McKinnon. The Justice "Although I am concerned about damaging the reputation of wellmeaning people, it is clear on the evidence that I accept, that Mr. and Mrs. Headley and Mr. Oglevie hold

explained that the Sandfords had been influenced by the "Inner Healing" of Agnes White Sanford, the major influence within the Christian counseling community for belief in the need to exhume memories. The Listening

In April 2006, the group Advocates for Survivors of Child Abuse (ASCA) published the report "Ritual Abuse & Torture in Australia"

"Ritual Abuse & Torture in Australia" that can be found on the web at: hure_ritualabuse_2006.pdf.[1] Funding

of various types of organized ritual abuse and torture: e.g. groups responsible for the sexual trafficking of women and children, groups of pornography rings, terrorist groups, and satanic groups. It is a muddle of

satanic ritual abuse as we have come to know it since the appearance of Michele Remembers. By associating the old beliefs with terrorist groups and a new name, they are meant to

weak. Because it was funded by the government, however, because it has the support of ASCA, because it has the endorsement of prominent researchers, and because on the surface it appears to be well documented,

Perhaps recovered memory beliefs continue to flourish within large segments of the Christian counseling

about satanic ritual abuse in Australia.) With her many connections in the entertainment industry, Mullinar was able to raise millions of dollars through private and government funding, and she was able to obtain a great

Part 1-How I got into therapy In 1990, when I was in my early 20s, my brother was in treatment for alcoholism. During a Family Week visit with him, a counselor suggested