NCJ Number
127914
Journal
School Psychology Review Volume: 18 Issue: 2 Dated: (1989) Pages: 247-259
Date Published
1989
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This analysis of approaches to interviewing children focuses on the role of the school psychologist in gathering information for use in educational and psychological treatment, reviews the general advantages and disadvantages of interviews, and explains the relevance of developmental factors in selecting an interview approach and conducting an interview.
Abstract
Interviews provide the opportunity to understand the child's subjective experience and to observe the child's behavioral, cognitive, and emotional functioning. Interviews are best used as part of an assessment based on multiple approaches. The limitations of interviews include the time and training required and the difficulty of evaluating the information obtained. When planning and conducting an interview, the interviewer must be aware of how children of various ages respond to different interview strategies and how to modify the manner in which questions are asked based on the child's developmental characteristics. The three main approaches are structured interviews, unstructured interviews, and semi-structured interviews. Case examples of interviews, recommendations for further research, and 52 references