Author:

Keywords:

Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Medicine, Legal, Legal Medicine, case, court, false memory, suggestion, therapy, SEXUAL-ABUSE, MISINFORMATION, IMAGINATION, Criminals, Female, Humans, Memory, Mental Recall, Suggestion, G0D3621N#56129231, 0399 Other Chemical Sciences, 0699 Other Biological Sciences, 1103 Clinical Sciences, Legal & Forensic Medicine, 3199 Other biological sciences, 3499 Other chemical sciences, 4402 Criminology

Abstract:

We report on a unique Italian criminal case in which a court ruled that a therapist implanted false memories of abuse in a young girl. Using therapeutic excerpts, we show that the therapist used a multitude of problematic interventions that are all linked to false memory creation. Specifically, an analysis of the therapeutic excerpts showed that across many sessions, the therapist asked highly suggestive questions to the girl, implying that she was abused by her father. In addition, the girl underwent EMDR techniques that have been associated with memory undermining effects. Our analyses showed that although before treatment the girl did not have any recollection of being abused by her father, she gradually started to remember the abuse and identified the father as her abuser during the therapeutic sessions. Our case report clearly shows the danger of suggestive pressure in a therapeutic context causing patients to form false memories of abuse and supports the need to prevent the therapeutic practice of suggestive techniques.