Placebo's, verwachtingen en daderamnesie: twee gevalsstudies

K.I.M. van Oorsouw, M J. Cima, H.L.G.J. Merckelbach, S. Kortleven

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleProfessional

Abstract

Defendants often claim to have no memory of the crime they committed. Such claims of amnesia can be simulated, but may also have a bona fide background. That is, claims of amnesia may be based on negative expectations about the quality of one's own memory. Manipulating these expectancies using memory-enhancing placebos may, perhaps, counteract expectancy-based claims of amnesia. In the current case-study, two forensic patients claiming amnesia were given memory-enhancing placebos with the instruction that they might restore crime-related memories. The placebo appeared to be partially successful in one participant, who had strong beliefs about the reality of crime-related amnesia. No placebo-effect occurred in a participant, who most likely feigned his amnesia. Memory-enhancing placebos may be successful when forensic patients claim amnesia, but their success depends on the type of memory loss (e.g., simulated or bona fide). Additional instruments measuring the tendency to simulate psychiatric symptoms are informative in this type of patient-directed research.
Original languageDutch
Pages (from-to)125-141
JournalDth : kwartaalschrift voor directieve therapie en hypnose
Volume26
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2006

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