Memory as Refuge: Effects of Autobiographical Memory Quality and Trauma on Wellbeing Among Kashmiri Displaced Youth

Abstract

The current study examines the influence of trauma severity and autobiographical memory quality on young adult Kashmiri Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Delhi NCR’s psychological well-being. The study seeks to explore the interconnections between trauma severity, memory quality, and psychological well-being, as well as to estimate the predictability of trauma and memory features for well-being. 250 participants between 19 and 25 years are recruited using snowball sampling. Participants fill in the International Trauma Questionnaire, Phenomenological Questionnaire of Autobiographical Memory (on memory quality), and Ryff’s 18-item Psychological Well-Being Scale. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis are used for data analysis. Results show there is a large negative correlation between trauma severity and psychological well-being (r=–.56, p<.001), and a positive correlation between the quality of autobiographical memory and psychological well-being (r =.62, p <.001). There is a negative correlation between memory quality and trauma severity (r=–.47, p<.001). Multiple regression analysis indicates that memory quality and trauma severity combined predict psychological well-being (R²= .46, p < .001), with memory quality being a better predictor. Participants who are direct victims of displacement indicate significantly greater trauma severity than witnesses (t(248)= 4.15, p<.001). The results show that greater trauma exposure decreases well-being and coherence of memory, whereas improved memory quality facilitates greater psychological resilience in displaced youth. The research adds to the understanding of cognitive-affective processes involved in trauma and adaptation in internally displaced young adults. It emphasizes the pivotal role of autobiographical memory quality in fostering psychological recovery. The findings stress the need for the inclusion of culturally sensitive, memory-based interventions in mental health interventions for displaced groups.