NCJ Number
142868
Journal
Law and Policy Volume: 14 Issue: 2 and 3 Dated: special issue (April/July 1992) Pages: 209-218
Date Published
1992
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This article reports on a literature review of research on the use of anatomically correct dolls in interviews with children suspected or confirmed to have been sexually abused.
Abstract
Anatomically detailed (AD) doll interviews have become an increasingly popular tool in the assessment of child sexual abuse allegations. Despite potential advantages, AD doll interviews are controversial. Although the American Psychological Association supports the use of AD dolls by "experienced and competent" investigators, it recommends the development of additional standard interview procedures and the collection of normative data on abused and nonabused children. This article reviews research pertinent to problems associated with the lack of standardization for interview protocols. Issues related to this concern are the suggestibility of young children, the effectiveness of standard structured interview protocols, and the effectiveness of standard unstructured interview protocols. Other research reviewed pertains to the limited amount of normative data on the interaction of nonabused children with AD dolls. Some problems noted with the research in general are that research involving nonabused children has been limited to middle- and upper-income white children and the absence of a standard protocol and normative data from a stratified sample of children. 20 references