ARQ Centrum'45, Diemen/Oegstgeest, the Netherlands.
Department of Clinical Psychology & Experimental Psychopathology, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
J Anxiety Disord. 2020 Apr;71:102209. doi: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2020.102209. Epub 2020 Mar 6.
Negative events may not only linger on in the form of intrusive memories in the minds of those directly exposed but also in those who are only indirectly confronted with these events. The aim of the present study was to investigate if intrusions referring to indirectly experienced traumatic events do indeed occur, and to compare their frequency and characteristics to intrusions about directly experienced negative events. Participants (N = 98) were adult postwar offspring of World War Two survivors currently in treatment in one of two clinics specialized in the treatment of war victims. We examined the frequency and characteristics of intrusions about indirectly experienced (i.e., parent war-related) events and two types of directly (self-) experienced events: Self-experienced traumatic events and negative events related to participants' upbringing. Intrusions referring to indirectly experienced traumatic events did indeed occur. The frequency as well as other characteristics of these intrusions did not differ from those of both types of intrusions about directly experienced events. The similarities between intrusions related to different types of events emphasize the (re)constructive nature of memory. Our findings indicate that traumatic events not only affect those directly involved but may also continue to plague the next generation.
负面事件不仅会以侵入性记忆的形式在直接接触这些事件的人的脑海中挥之不去，也会在那些只是间接接触这些事件的人身上挥之不去。本研究的目的是调查是否会出现与间接经历的创伤性事件有关的侵入性记忆，并将其频率和特征与直接经历的负面事件的侵入性记忆进行比较。参与者（N=98）是二战幸存者的成年战后子女，目前正在两家专门治疗战争受害者的诊所之一接受治疗。我们检查了关于间接经历的（即父母与战争相关的）事件以及两种直接（自我）经历的事件的侵入性记忆的频率和特征：自我经历的创伤性事件和与参与者成长有关的负面事件。确实出现了与间接经历的创伤性事件有关的侵入性记忆。这些侵入性记忆的频率以及其他特征与两种直接经历的事件的侵入性记忆没有区别。不同类型事件的侵入性记忆之间的相似性强调了记忆的（重构）性质。我们的发现表明，创伤性事件不仅会影响直接涉及的人，还可能继续困扰下一代。
