Understanding persons who repudiate memories recovered in therapy.

How can clinicians avoid participating in the development of what may be false memories? Persons who had repudiated "memories" of sexual abuse recovered in the course of psychotherapy were offered three possible explanations for what had occurred. Although a majority endorsed a mind-control model, a substantial minority endorsed self-narrative or role-enactment models. The processes endorsed were consistent with retrospective descriptions of therapy. A knowledge of these different models may help clinicians understand how clients develop false memories and avoid social influences that contribute to unproductive therapy.