Remembering the earthquake: intrusive memories of disaster in a rural Italian community.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Disasters can have long-lasting impacts on mental health. Intrusive memories have been found to be common and persistent in the aftermath of earthquakes.

Objective

To explore, using diaries, intrusive memories' presence, content, characteristics, and relationship with probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a small rural community exposed to mass destruction and loss of life.

Methods

Survivors of the 2016-2017 Central Italy earthquakes (N = 104) were first interviewed to investigate the presence of intrusive memories of the disaster. Those that reported intrusive memories were subsequently asked to complete a 7-day paper-and-pen diary tracking their spontaneous memories of the earthquake events.

Results

Twenty months after the earthq

SUBMITTER: Massazza A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9103703 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature