Memory Processess in Abused and Neglected Children

描述(申请人提供)：发展精神病理学领域的特点是关注正常和非典型发展之间的双向关系，因此，有助于提供一个框架，将对正常人群的研究转化为理解非典型和无序人群。因此，发展精神病理学的观点是将关于记忆的工作转化为创伤领域的强大推动力，特别是加强我们对虐待儿童对记忆过程的可能影响的理解。在这项翻译研究应用中，我们计划确定虐待儿童的经历是否会影响虐待儿童的记忆操作。为了实现这一目标，我们借鉴了有关儿童记忆的规范性文献，并系统地将这些知识应用于与虐待和记忆相关的问题。1,440名5至10岁的儿童将参加一系列六项研究，涉及基本记忆过程、信息抑制、暗示能力和虚假记忆。720名儿童将因与虐待儿童有关的问题向当地卫生与公众服务部报告，360名未受虐待儿童将在性别、社会经济地位、种族和家庭组成方面与受虐待儿童在人口统计上相当。虐待儿童将平均分配给有疏忽史的儿童(称为遗漏组)和有身体和/或性虐待史的儿童(称为委员会组)。将招募由360名中等社会经济地位儿童组成的第二个对照小组，以便与基本记忆文献进行比较。 该研究计划以以下具体目标为指导：1)确定有虐待史的儿童的基本记忆过程是否相同或不同；2)确定受虐待儿童是否比没有虐待史的儿童更容易受到信息抑制；3)评估受虐待儿童是否比未受虐待儿童更容易受到暗示和错误记忆的影响；4)检查更高水平的精神病理是否干扰受虐待儿童的记忆过程，并增加他们对暗示和错误记忆的敏感性；5)将这些调查的结果转化为社会政策领域。这一研究计划的首要目标将是将这些发现输出到社会政策领域，并为提供对受虐待人口的干预提供信息。因此，该申请在规划那些遭受身体虐待、性虐待或被忽视的儿童的需求方面具有重大的社会影响。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The field of developmental psychopathology has been characterized by a focus on the bi-directional relations between normal and atypical development, and, as such, lends itself to providing a framework for the translation of research on normal populations toward understanding atypical and disordered populations. As such, a developmental psychopathology perspective serves as a powerful impetus for translating work on memory into the arena of trauma, specifically, into enhancing our understanding of the possible effects of child maltreatment on processes of memory. In this translational research application, we plan to ascertain whether experiences of child maltreatment affect the operation of memory in maltreated children. Toward this goal, we draw from the normative literature on memory in children and systematically apply this knowledge to issues relevant to maltreatment and memory. 1,440 children between 5 and 10 years of age will participate in a series of six studies addressing basic memory processes, information suppression, suggestibility, and false memories. 720 children will have been reported to the local Department of Human and Health Services (DHHS) for concerns related to child maltreatment and 360 non-maltreated children will be demographically comparable to the maltreated children with respect to gender, socio-economic status, racelethnicity, and household composition. Maltreated children will be equally divided among those with histories of Neglect (referred to as the Omission Group) and those with histories of Physical and/or Sexual Abuse (referred to as the Commission Group). A second comparison group of 360 middle socio-economic status children will be recruited to allow for comparisons with the basic memory literature. The research plan is guided by the following specific aims: 1) to ascertain whether basic memory processes operate the same or differently in children with histories of maltreatment; 2) to determine whether maltreated children are more or less prone to information suppression than are children without histories of maltreatment; 3) to assess whether maltreated children are more or less susceptible to suggestibility and to false memories than are non-maltreated children; 4) to examine whether higher levels of psychopathology interfere with maltreated children's memory processes and increase their susceptibility to suggestion and false memories; 5) to translate the findings of these investigations to the social policy arena. The overarching goal of this program of research will be to export these findings into the social policy arena, as well as to inform the provision of interventions of maltreated populations. Thus, the application possesses significant implications for society regarding planning for the needs of children who have been physically abused, sexually abused, or neglected.