MEMORY ISSUES – ACHIEVING RELIABLE EVIDENCE
People with intellectual disability, autism, trauma, mental health concerns and acquired brain injury may have difficulty with working memory. However, everyone under stress will experience impairment of their memory.
• On average, people with high-capacity working memory and under low levels of stress, can process and recall between two and five pieces of information at a time. However, under high levels of stress, or low-capacity working memory, the ability to store and manipulate information decreases dramatically, meaning vital information is more likely missed (Cowan, 2001; Daneman & Carpenter, 1980).
• People usually recall information in order from the last piece of information presented, then the first, second and third. However, under high levels of stress, people recall only the last piece of information presented or become fixated on the first piece presented and then not retain any information after that.
How to spot memory difficulties
• Does the client repeat things, forget questions, lose track of what they have said?
• The person may: - Remember only the first or last part of a question or narrative.
- Process the information or they may only focus on what is important to them such as getting the interview over with.
- Not remember details of an event or series of events in a linear order.
- Not be able to identify options/solutions/ support people.
• If in doubt, ask the client or support person whether they struggle with memory.
Some strategies to assist
• Memory issues become worse under pressure, therefore: - have patience, reduce the speed of your speech, use a gentle tone
- make it okay for the person to say when they are not following the questions
• Chunk the information down into one- concept bites.
• Repeat key information.
• Take breaks as needed - fatigue will worsen memory.
• Ask the client if they have any tips that assist them with their memory.
• Allow the client to take notes into the court room.
See also - page 22 for more about information processing - page 30 for sequencing a chronologically accurate narrative
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