Date of Award
Spring 5-6-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department/Program
Forensic Psychology
Language
English
First Advisor or Mentor
Charles B. Stone
Second Reader
Mark Fondacaro
Third Advisor
Kelly McWilliams
Abstract
Autobiographical memory is a critical component of the memory process that guides future behaviors by relying on past personal experiences connected to major public events. This decision-making process is heavily influenced by trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, as they may guide individuals to riskier behaviors. The COVID-19 pandemic represents a global traumatic stressor that contributed to shifts in behavioral outcomes post-pandemic. Despite research showing associations between memory accessibility, traumatic symptoms, and decision-making, there is limited research on health-related behaviors and post-pandemic behavioral outcomes in individuals with high trauma exposure specifically from the pandemic. The present study investigates three hypotheses: higher traumatic symptoms will be associated with (1) more risky behaviors and (2) reduced memory accessibility, and (3) greater recall of pandemic-related memories will be associated with fewer risky behaviors and more protective behaviors. Results indicate that individuals with low trauma exposure engaged in more risky behaviors than those with high trauma exposure, and greater memory confidence was associated with more risky behaviors. Although number of memories did not significantly predict risky or protective behaviors directly, believing memories to be meaningful to one’s personal life story was associated with increased protective behaviors. These findings highlight how traumatic symptoms and autobiographical memory jointly shape long-term behavioral outcomes following major public health crises.
Recommended Citation
Seo, Rachel, "Trauma, Memory, and Decision-Making: How COVID-19 Shaped Autobiographical Memories and Risky Decision-Making in Young Adults" (2026). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/jj_etds/382
