False Memory Syndrome Foundation

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The False Memory Syndrome Foundation was an advocacy group from 1992 to 2019 who claimed to be falsely accused of sexual abuse. The headquarters were in Philadelphia.

The foundation was set up in 1992 by the educational scientist Pamela Freyd and the mathematician Peter Freyd . Peter Freyd had previously been accused by his daughter, psychologist Jennifer Freyd , of sexually abusing her during her childhood. During a therapy that she had started for other reasons, she regained her memories.

As of December 31, 2019, the dissolution of the Foundation was announced.

The FMSF coined the catchphrase "False memory syndrome", but this is not a recognized syndrome and is scientifically very controversial.

Description of the Foundation's positions

The foundation described a phenomenon that occurs as a result of false memories . In her opinion, this phenomenon was often caused by psychotherapy. However, there is still no systematic description or empirical review of the theses. For this reason, the “False memory syndrome” has not been recognized by any other scientific specialist society or important association. For this reason, it has also not found its way into common diagnostic systems.

The term was originally coined by the co-founder of the False Memory Syndrome Foundation Ralf Underwager and his wife Hollida Wakefield. The Foundation was established in Philadelphia in 1992. In 1993 the two gave an interview to the Dutch pedophile magazine “Paedika”. Among other things, Underwager was quoted as saying that pedophilia is a responsible choice and sex with children can be seen as part of God's will. Hollida Wakefield said in the interview that it would be "nice" to do a long-term study of 100 11-year-old boys who are in love with pedophiles.

In 1994 Underwager sued the renowned American child and adolescent psychologist Anna Salter, who criticized Underwager's science and methodology in a magazine article. The lawsuit failed because the court recognized that Underwager and Wakefield's hypotheses had not found their way into medical science. Underwager's opinions, which he brought in court proceedings, were increasingly criticized as partisan and he was rejected as an expert in court proceedings.

Central theses

The FMSF felt that was well documented

  1. many people develop false memories during therapy (especially under hypnosis);
  2. it is not possible to distinguish false memories from correct ones except through external evidence;
  3. most people who were abused as children remember it all their lives and repression is extremely rare, if it exists at all;
  4. no group of symptoms exists whose common occurrence clearly suggests sexual abuse.

Supporting Scientists

Prominent members of the Foundation's Scientific Advisory Board are Aaron T. Beck , Rochel Gelman , Leila Gleitman , Ernest Hilgard , Philip S. Holzman , Elizabeth Loftus , Paul McHugh and Ulric Neisser .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b c Stephanie J. Dallam (2001): Crisis or Creation: A Systematic Examination of "False Memory Syndrome" . Journal of Child Sexual Abuse (Haworth Press) Vol 9; No. 3/4, pp. 9-36. Summary online
  2. ↑ Peter Bloomberg: One family's tragedy spawns national group , The Baltimore Sun, September 12, 1994
  3. ↑ Renee Fabian: Survivors Celebrate the End of the False Memory Syndrome Foundation After 27 Years (en) , The Mighty. December 30, 2019. Retrieved January 2, 2020. 
  4. ↑ this excerpt from the interview is reproduced, for example, in: Jennifer J. Freyd: Betrayal Trauma. The Logic of Forgetting Childhood Abuse. Harvard University Press, Cambridge 1996, ISBN 0-674-06806-8 , p. 38. ( limited preview in Google book search)
  5. ↑ a b Valerie Sinason: Memory in dispute . Karnc Books, London 1998 ( online [accessed September 12, 2012]).
  6. ^ Foundation homepage , as of October 27, 2009