Memory performance of war veterans with PTSD

Abstract

Introduction: Cognitive models of PTSD suggest that appraisals of traumatic events affect the individuals’ response. It seems that anxiety predisposes memory deficits. The present study investigates memory performance among Iranian veterans with PTSD.Method: Thirty veterans with PTSD, 30 veterans without PTSD and 30 normal controls participated in the study. All subjects were matched by sex, age, academic level and verbal IQ. A battery of psychological instruments including Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Impact of Event Scale-Revised, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (Verbal IQ), and Wechsler Memory Scale (memory subscales include information, orientation, mental control, logical memory, letter numbering sequencing, visual reproduction, verbal paired associates) were administered.Results: The results indicate that there are significant differences in memory performance among three groups, which means the PTSD patients suffer from memory deficit.Conclusion: The findings of the current study are in line with those who found memory deficits such as prospective memory, autobiographical memory, working memory as well as general memory among people who suffer from PTSD.