How Do Trauma Memories Affect Youth with PTSD?

What you need to know

• Youth with PTSD report their trauma memories as more sensory-based, harder to put into words, and more central to their identity compared to youth without PTSD
• Differences were found more in how youth described their memories through questionnaires versus actual narrative recall
• No significant differences were found in cognitive abilities like memory, attention and problem-solving between youth with and without PTSD

Understanding Trauma Memories in Youth

When a young person experiences a traumatic event, the way they remember and process that experience can profoundly impact their recovery. For some youth, these memories become overwhelming and contribute to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). But what makes trauma memories different in youth who develop PTSD compared to those who don’t?

How Trauma Memories Present

The study found that youth with PTSD described their trauma memories quite differently from youth without PTSD. Their memories contained more sensory details (like sights, sounds, and physical sensations), were harder to put into words, and felt more “current” - as if the trauma was happening now rather than in the past. These youth also reported that the traumatic event had become a more central part of their identity and life story.

Self-Report vs. Narrative Differences

Interestingly, the biggest differences emerged in how youth described their memories through questionnaires rather than when they told the actual story of what happened. When asked to narrate their trauma, youth with PTSD included more sensory details and had slightly less organized stories, but many other aspects of their narratives were similar to youth without PTSD. This suggests that the subjective experience of trauma memories may be more important than objective differences in how the memories are recalled.

Cognitive Function Findings

A unique aspect of this study was its examination of cognitive abilities like memory, attention, and problem-solving. Surprisingly, there were no significant differences between youth with and without PTSD across these measures. This challenges assumptions that PTSD necessarily impairs cognitive function in youth who experience a single traumatic event.

What This Means for You

These findings have important implications for parents, caregivers and clinicians:

• If a young person describes their trauma memories as very sensory-based or difficult to verbalize, this may signal a need for additional support
• Treatment may need to focus more on helping youth process their perceptions of trauma memories rather than just the memories themselves
• A PTSD diagnosis doesn’t necessarily mean a young person will struggle with cognitive tasks - many youth maintain their ability to learn and problem-solve

Conclusions

• How youth perceive and describe their trauma memories may be more important than objective memory differences in understanding PTSD
• Youth with PTSD experience their trauma memories as more sensory-based and central to their identity
• Single-event trauma leading to PTSD may not significantly impact cognitive abilities in youth