This article is designed as a practitioner's review of both "false memory" syndrome and traumatic stress proponents and professional reaction to both theoretical approaches including recommendations for research, clinical practice and forensic practice for treating and assessing delayed recall of memories of child sexual abuse. The author identified a historical overview of the development and the controversy between proponents of the two approaches with the central concept of the controversy. Her position was that the "false memory position” asserts that therapists are often responsible for creating memories of abuse that never occurred in their patients. While the "traumatic stress position," argues that delayed recall and other altered memory recall have long been tied through research to the aftermath of traumatic events. Reviewing the findings of various working groups, including the American Psychiatric Association, the British Psychological Society and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, concerning delayed memory in victims of child sexual abuse, the author has developed and discusses 19 general treatment issues and recommendations. 5 notes, 65 references