Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is sometimes considered a "memory disorder." Traumatic events that have occurred in the past are often relived in nightmares and flashbacks as if it happens in the here and now, whereas patients find it hard to remember daily events in the present. Furthermore impaired recall of specific episodic detail in autobiographical remembering, namely a lack of specific memories other than the traumatic events is often found in PTSD patients. Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) is an evidence based treatment for PTSD and aims to integrate traumatic memories in the autobiographical history by discussing the life history with both good (flowers) and bad (stones) memories in a chronological order, using exposure to address the traumatic events (stones). A narrative is written and re-read with the patient that can enable a reconstruction of life history. NET is well researched and recommended for refugees. Refugees are often affected by multiple trauma and at risk to develop PTSD.
At the conference the principles of NET and its practical application will be explained, and its impact on autobiographical memory. Furthermore we present the results of an ongoing study in refugees on PTSD and autobiographical memory. In a group of 36 refugees PTSD complaints, general psychopathology and autobiographical memory are assessed prior to the start of NET at our specialized trauma center. We analyzed to what extent PTSD complaints are related to autobiographical memory impairment and carried out a qualitative analysis on the narratives of NET of these patients to gain more insight in the feasibility of enhancing recall of memories through NET, and integrating the traumatic events in a reconstruction of autobiographical history.
