NCJ Number
169133
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 12 Issue: 5 Dated: (October 1997) Pages: 759-772
Date Published
1997
Length
14 pages
Annotation
During the past decade, research methods in the area of child and adult violence has increasingly used the clinical interview; although the clinical interview methodology promises more reliable and clinically rich data, it also carries a higher degree of risk of emotional distress to interview participants.
Abstract
Risk for the interviewer has different aspects, as shown by case examples. In several situations, interviewers have expressed distress because they are exposed to very difficult and traumatic experiences presented to them by a respondent during the research interview. Four case examples demonstrate approaches to minimizing and managing emotional distress on the part of the interviewer and emphasize the importance of properly recruiting research personnel, conducting initial and ongoing interviewer training, and structuring regular interviewer team meetings. The authors point out that the emotional health of both the respondent and the interviewer should always take priority over data collection. 18 references and 1 table