Citation

Blix I, Alve Glad K, Skogbrott Birkeland M, Nordvoll Rustand A, Thoresen S. Eur. J. Psychotraumatol. 2023; 14(1): e2180947.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, The Author(s), Publisher Co-action Publishing)

DOI

10.1080/20008066.2023.2180947

PMID

36912799

PMCID

PMC10013418

Abstract

BACKGROUND: How do we remember what happened shortly before a traumatic experience? There has been little focus on the temporal context of trauma memories, but a few studies suggest that aspects of what happened in the moments prior to a traumatic experience may be selectively enhanced and prioritized in memory.

OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence, nature, and content of voluntary memories about what happened shortly before a disaster. The participants were individuals who had survived a fire on the passenger ferry Scandinavian Star 26 years earlier.

METHODS: Data collection took the form of face-to-face interviews. The analysis was carried out in two steps. First, all the narratives from participants who were aged 7 years or older at the time of the fire (N = 86) were coded in terms of the presence of detailed descriptions of what happened before the fire. Next, the narratives that included detailed descriptions of the moments before (N = 28) were included in a thematic analysis, focusing on coding the mode and the content.

RESULTS: More than one-third of the participants reported detailed accounts of what happened in the hours, minutes, or seconds before the fire. These memories included detailed descriptions of sensory impressions, dialogues, actions, and thoughts. Two themes stood out in the thematic analysis: (1) unusual observations and danger cues; and (2) counterfactual thoughts.

CONCLUSION: The finding that specific details from the moments before a traumatic event may be vividly recalled indicates that peripheral details of traumatic events can be prioritized in memory. Such details may be interpreted as warning signals. Future research should examine whether such memories might stimulate long-standing thoughts of the world as being dangerous, and hence carry the threat forward in time.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Trauma; *Disasters; post-traumatic stress; Mental Recall; *Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; autobiographical memory; Cues; estrés post traumático; memoria autobiográfica; memoria traumática; Narration; señales de advertencia; trauma narrative; warning signals; 创伤; 创伤后应激; 创伤记忆; 自传记忆; 警告信号