Is it mere distraction? Peri-traumatic verbal tasks can increase analogue flashbacks but reduce voluntary memory performance.

Journal article

Several experiments have shown that we can reduce the frequency of analogue flashbacks with competing tasks presented during a trauma film (i.e. peri-traumatically). A "distraction" hypothesis suggests that any competing task may reduce flashbacks due to distraction and/or a load on executive control. Alternatively, a "modality" hypothesis based on clinical models of PTSD suggests that certain tasks will not protect against intrusions (Experiment 1) and could actually increase them (Experimen...

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Authors: Bourne, C; Frasquilho, F; Roth, A; Holmes, E

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry
• Volume: 41
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 316-324
• Publication date: 2010-09-01
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2010.03.001
• EISSN: 1873-7943
• ISSN: 0005-7916
• Language: English
• Keywords: Motion Pictures as Topic; Executive Function; Mental Recall; Verbal Behavior; Wounds and Injuries; Memory; Humans; Adult; Female; Male; Psychomotor Performance