Recall of Childhood Memories by Adult Children of Alcoholics
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Authors
Jimenez, Doreen
Issue Date
1987
Type
Thesis
Language
en
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
This study was designed to examine early autobiographical memory in adult children of alcoholics (ACA). It was hypothesized that the trauma of growing up in an alcoholic home would cause the ACA to report fewer early childhood events than adults from non-alcoholic homes. Thirty-two participants were evenly divided between groups. There were eight men and 24 women, the mean age being 33. All subjects were matched for age, education, and income. Subjects participated in a standard autobiographical memory test, a Children of Alcoholics Screening Test, and a questionnaire regarding parental drinking patterns. The results supported the hypothesis, namely, ACAs reported significantly fewer events than the control group, p < .01. It was also found that ACAs reported significantly more repeated memories than the control group, 2.(.Oi. These findings raise important questions as to the effects of trauma upon autobiographical memory and suggest the need for further experimental research investigating these phenomena.