Davies M I, Clark D M
Sub-department of Clinical Health Psychology, University College London, UK.
Behav Res Ther. 1998 Jun;36(6):571-82. doi: 10.1016/s0005-7967(98)00051-5.
Attempts to suppress traumatic material may be involved in the development and maintenance of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In order to investigate this possibility, analogue post-traumatic intrusions were induced in normal participants by means of a distressing film. For comparison, a second film was used to induce intrusions about polar bears. It was hypothesized that the suppression of these intrusions would produce an immediate decrease but a delayed increase ("rebound effect") in their frequency. It was also predicted that the rebound effect would be larger for the analogue traumatic intrusions. Each film was followed by two consecutive time periods during which participants' thoughts were recorded. During the first period, the suppression group was instructed to suppress thoughts about the film whilst the control group merely recorded their thoughts. During the second period, both groups merely recorded their thoughts. The results supported the immediate decrease hypothesis for both types of intrusion. As predicted, there was a rebound effect for analogue traumatic intrusions although not for polar bear thoughts. Several methodological issues relating to the findings are highlighted. The possible implications of a rebound effect with trauma-relevant intrusions are discussed with reference to PTSD.
试图抑制创伤性记忆材料可能与创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）的发展和维持有关。为了探究这种可能性，通过一部令人痛苦的影片在正常参与者中诱发类似创伤后的侵入性记忆。作为对照，使用第二部影片诱发关于北极熊的侵入性记忆。研究假设，抑制这些侵入性记忆会使其频率立即下降，但随后会延迟增加（“反弹效应”）。研究还预测，类似创伤性侵入的反弹效应会更大。每部影片播放后都有两个连续的时间段，在此期间记录参与者的想法。在第一个时间段，抑制组被要求抑制对影片的想法，而对照组只记录他们的想法。在第二个时间段，两组都只记录他们的想法。结果支持了两种类型侵入性记忆的立即下降假设。正如预测的那样，类似创伤性侵入出现了反弹效应，而关于北极熊的想法则没有。文中强调了与这些发现相关的几个方法学问题。并参考创伤后应激障碍讨论了与创伤相关的侵入性记忆出现反弹效应的可能影响。
