Recent studies indicate that a person’s perception of their parent can be notably altered when they are asked to assess them during therapy, even when the inquiry is neutral.
Therapists frequently encourage clients to contemplate their familial relationships to help unveil past memories and emotions. A new investigation, spearheaded by the University of Portsmouth, examined whether this approach can influence feelings and memories regarding a parent—a process referred to as reappraisal.
This study focuses on how reappraisal affects participants’ feelings towards their mothers, particularly examining emotions like happiness, interest, sadness, and anger. It also explores how this reflective process may impact perceptions of the parent from childhood.
The main researcher, Dr. Lawrence Patihis from the University’s School of Psychology, Sport, and Health Sciences, specializes in the reliability of memory. He elaborated on his motivation for studying this phenomenon: “We all experience a form of childhood amnesia during our early years due to the constant production of new neurons. This creates challenges about what we believe we remember versus what actually took place.”
“For instance, consider someone who has positive experiences with their father until the age of 11. If their father’s behavior turns negative at age 16 due to a divorce from their mother, they may subconsciously rethink their earlier positive memories of him, impacting how they remember their relationship.”
“Previous research has established that memories can be altered, and we aimed to see if this also applies to how individuals remember their emotional experiences with a parent from childhood.”
In the initial experiment, some participants were prompted to recall recent instances where their mother displayed positive traits, while others were asked to think of negative traits. The outcomes revealed that their current feelings were considerably influenced by these reappraisals, and their childhood emotional memories were also modified.
“It’s important for both therapists and clients to realize that such discussions during therapy might unintentionally lead to a reassessment of parental figures, which can alter emotions and memories,” Dr. Patihis pointed out.
“Certain therapies that emphasize re-evaluating childhood experiences may lead to a negative reassessment of parents, based on the belief that present relationship issues stem from childhood trauma. However, our findings support previous evidence suggesting that this process can sometimes distort the reality of past feelings. This concern could lead to family members growing apart in the present.”
“This does not imply that individuals with real negative experiences should disregard their emotions—rather, it emphasizes the need for awareness that feelings and memories can change over time.”
Even enhancing positive reappraisals carries potential risks. Dr. Patihis continued: “While fostering a more positive view of a parent can enhance overall relationships, accurately recalling feelings of sadness and anger from childhood enables one to deliberately raise their own children differently.”
“If individuals are informed that therapies have the potential to shift memories before initiating a session, this awareness may assist them in maintaining an accurate understanding of their childhood experiences. I believe this should be part of informed consent.” The findings of the study are published in the Psychological Reports journal.
