ABSTRACT
Since the early 1900s there has been interest in how stress generally and trauma in particular affect individuals’ well-being. There has also been interest in the role of both stress and trauma in affecting memory, since the 1990s, in relation to questions about the reliability of eywitnesses. Considerable theorizing about, and numerous scientific and case studies concerning how well individuals remember and recount personally experienced stressful events has resulted. It is not the intent of this chapter to provide an extensive overview of scientific research and theory on relations between stress and memory (see Christianson, 1992). Rather, our intent is to discuss clinical findings concerning trauma and memory that are in need of explanation and to link clinical observation to research and theory in cognitive psychology. We acknowledge the need for continued scientific research to clarify the mechanisms involved. Our hope is that this chapter will help encourage further research regarding the role of stress and trauma in affecting memory.
