Observations and Findings Suggestive of True and Untrue Traumatic Memory    (compiled and modified from Fredrickson)               

from Memory and Abuse by Charles Whitfield

Observation	True Memory	Untrue Memory
High Risk Disorders Present	Yes	No
Attractions, fears or avoidances unexplained by known history	May be Present	Absent
Indications of Emerging Memories (e.g. dreams, images, flashbacks or somatic sensations	May be Present	Absent
Evidence of Dissociation	Often Present	Absent
Time Loss	Often present	Absent to Slight
Supplying inconsequential detail in abuse history	May be Present	Absent
Story matches depth of pain and symptoms throughtout life	Usual	May be Present
Tends to avoid sympathy and support	May be Present	May be Absent
Knows or senses how a perpetrator will act	May be Present	Absent
Corroborationg data present (e.g. medical, witness, photos)	Usually Absent, but helpful if present	Absent
High Ambivalence about abuse, memories	May be Present	Absent to Present
Evidence of florid imagination, psychosis or pathological lying (but dissociation may resemble and person may be misdiagnosed)	Usually Absent	May be Present