How Childhood Memories Can Shift with Adult Relationships
Our recollections of childhood experiences, particularly those considered traumatic, aren’t necessarily fixed in time. New research suggests that the way young adults remember adverse childhood experiences can fluctuate depending on the quality of their current relationships, especially with their parents. This finding challenges the traditional view of these experiences as static indicators of past trauma and has implications for both research and clinical practice.
The study, published in Child Abuse & Neglect, tracked nearly 1,000 emerging adults over an eight-week period. Participants were asked on three separate occasions to reflect on experiences before the age of 18 that could be classified as adverse, such as abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction. Alongside these recollections, they reported on the quality of their relationships with parents, friends, and romantic partners.
While the core reports of childhood adversity remained largely consistent, researchers observed meaningful variations in participants’ responses over the course of the study. The most significant predictor of these shifts was the level of support and strain experienced in their parental relationships. Specifically, when individuals reported feeling more supported and less strained by their parents, they tended to recall fewer adverse childhood experiences, particularly those involving emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect.
“People are generally consistent in how they recall their past, but the small shifts in reporting are meaningful,” explains William Chopik, Associate Professor at Michigan State University’s Department of Psychology and lead author of the study. “It doesn’t mean people are unreliable, it means that memory is doing what it does—integrating past experiences with present meaning.” This highlights the reconstructive nature of memory, where past events are not simply replayed but are actively reshaped by current emotions, beliefs, and social contexts.
The Dynamic Nature of Memory
This research builds on a growing understanding of how memory functions, particularly in the context of trauma. It’s long been recognized that memory isn’t a perfect recording device. Instead, it’s a complex process influenced by a multitude of factors. The study emphasizes the powerful role that current relationships play in this process, particularly during emerging adulthood – a period characterized by identity formation and renegotiation of family dynamics.
The findings are particularly relevant given the widespread use of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) questionnaires in both medical and mental health settings. These questionnaires are used to assess the cumulative impact of early trauma and are often linked to long-term health outcomes. However, the study suggests that relying on a single assessment of ACEs may not provide a complete picture.
Annika Jaros, a research associate involved in the study, notes that “From research forms to clinical intakes, people often report on their adverse childhood experiences.” She suggests that acknowledging the potential for fluctuations in these reports could lead to a more nuanced and thoughtful approach to interpreting ACE scores. “Caring about the small differences in reporting can encourage more thoughtful use of these measures when predicting mental health, well-being, and life outcomes.”
Implications for Research and Clinical Practice
The researchers propose that assessing ACEs on multiple occasions, rather than relying on a single snapshot, could provide a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of an individual’s history. This approach could help clinicians better evaluate how current mental states and relationships are influencing a patient’s recollections.
Chopik elaborates on this point, stating, “Those small changes in reporting may tell us something important about how people are currently coping, how they’re making sense of their life story and how relationships in adulthood continue to shape the way the past is understood.” This suggests that changes in reported ACEs could serve as a valuable indicator of a patient’s current emotional state and coping mechanisms.
The study doesn’t suggest that individuals are intentionally falsifying their experiences. Rather, it highlights the inherent subjectivity of memory and the powerful influence of present-day relationships on how we perceive and interpret our past. A supportive and stable relationship with a parent, for example, may provide a sense of safety and security that allows an individual to reframe or reinterpret past traumas in a less distressing light.
This research underscores the importance of considering the broader context of an individual’s life when assessing and addressing the impact of adverse childhood experiences. It suggests that interventions focused on strengthening current relationships, particularly those with parents, may play a crucial role in promoting healing, and resilience.
Source: Michigan State University
