Traumatic intrusions as 'worse case scenario's'.
While some clinicians assume that traumatic intrusions are historically accurate revisualizations of traumatic incidents, others have suggested that these types of intrusions may represent a worse case scenario (i.e. exaggerated) version of the trauma. To explore this issue, a survey was conducted among undergraduate students (N = 189). Of the 69 respondents who had been the victim of or witness to a relatively recent trauma, 15 (22%) reported an exaggerated perception of the traumatic incident. Exaggerated intrusions were found to have more flashback qualities and tended to have a higher frequency than 'realistic' intrusions. These findings are well in line with the idea that intrusions are not necessarily veridical copies of traumatic events.
Merckelbach
H
H
Department of Psychology, University of Maastricht, The Netherlands. H.Merckelbach@Psychology.Unimaas.nl
Muris
P
P
Horselenberg
R
R
Rassin
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D015982:Bias; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012649:Self Concept; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000523:psychology*