Evaluating
Child Sexual Abuse Interview Tactics
In
effort to effectively assess suspected sexually abused children, various
interviewing techniques are employed.
Typically, structured interviews, open-ended interviews, and
consultations utilizing anatomically correct dolls are implemented. Such tools enable the practitioner to
determine whether or not the child is a victim, test the reliability of the
child’s testimony, and refrain from using leading questions which may influence
the child’s responses (Butcher, Mineka, & Hooley, 2010). With the prevalence of such cases in modern
times, accordingly, researchers have increasingly analyzed the efficacy of such
interview tactics. An evaluation of this
phenomenon is provided hereafter.
First, journal article, Interviewing Children about Psychological
Issues associated with Sexual Abuse (1991), researchers emphasized an
open-ended approach. More specifically,
a general psycho-diagnostic interview was suggested to examine ego, cognitive,
and socio-emotional functioning as well as affect and personality. Such questioning offers children the
opportunity to disclose personal information in a non-offensive manner, nor is
the response swayed by the inquiry.
Additionally, practitioners advise wording appropriate and comprehensive
in consideration of the aptitude of the child.
Furthermore, it should be duly noted that the initial questions are generally
based on feelings, relationships, and experience in effort to establish rapport
prior to more in-depth sexual abuse disclosure.
Also, researchers stressed the importance of offering positive feedback
and reassurance to the child throughout the assessment process. Contrarily, some researchers consider
unstructured techniques to be less effective since these approaches may be
difficult for the child to follow.
Instead they recommend structured questioning which is capable of
overcoming children’s apprehensiveness, shame, and limited communicative
skills. This information was compiled
over the course of 3 years with observation of 100+ diagnostic interviews of
children aged 3-17 of which nearly 80% were female, inclusive of varying
demographics and ethnicities (Shapiro, 1991).
Another
article, Children’s
Memories of a Physical Examination involving Genital Touch: Implications for
Reports of Child Sexual Abuse (1991), illustrated the effectiveness of the
usage of physical examinations in conjunction with anatomically correct dolls,
and direct and indirect questioning. Researchers
observed 72 girls, 5 to 7 years of age.
Initially, 50% of them (36) were administered genital assessments while
the remaining half was given a non-genital assessment. Subsequently, recollection of the sexually
abusive event was regarded through the presentation of anatomically correct
dolls along with a combination of frank and oblique questioning. Results indicated that younger children
responded better to non-genital examination.
However, older children were more expressive in the genital examination
group. This suggests that older
children’s bodily awareness is greater than younger children. Additionally, children were less expressive
in terms of mere recollection versus the doll demonstration and direct
questioning. This supports the notion
that a direct, structured approach is more beneficial than unstructured,
indirect techniques (Saywitz, Goodman, Nicholas, & Moan, 1991).
Personally,
I am inclined to agree with the usage of structured interviewing
techniques. This approach enables the
practitioner to observe and evaluate the subject in relation to traditional
research while granting the client the ability to successfully disclose
personal information, particularly in regard to sexual abuse, without
obstructing the therapeutic process.
Additionally, a direct approach grants inexperienced practitioners the
ability to follow specific guidelines in order to advantageously diagnose and
treat the client. Considering the
child’s proficiency and comfort along with the practitioner’s propensity, the
amalgamation of structured, open-ended questioning and the use of anatomically
correct dolls are most advantageous to realizing truth and fulfilling effective
assessment.
References:
Butcher, J.N., Mineka, S., &
Hooley, J.M. (2010). Abnormal psychology (14th ed.).
Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
of a
physical examination involving genital touch: Implications for reports of child sexual abuse.
Journal of
Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59(5), 682-691.
Shapiro, J.P. (1991). Interviewing children about
psychological issues associated with
sexual
abuse. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research,
Practice, Training, 28(1), 55-66.
