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Clinical Protocol for Interviewing Preschoolers With Sexually Anatomically Detailed Dolls

NCJ Number
109019
Author(s)
S White; G A Strom; G Santilli
Date Published
1986
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the development of a protocol for using sexually anatomically detailed dolls when preschool children are being evaluated for suspected sexual abuse.
Abstract
The protocol was designed to provide a structured format that would yield acceptable, reliable, and valid data by involved professionals and evidentiary data for the judicial system. It also sought to demonstrate that interview data from preschool children may be acceptable when obtained in a standard, objective manner. Necessary materials include dollhouse, truck and/or car, crayons in a container and paper, family of sexually anatomically detailed (SAD) dolls of appropriate color for race of child -- two adult males, two adult females, two boys and two girls, a play telephone and puppets. The article explains the interview process, including greeting the child, setting the stage for the SAD interview, introducing the SAD dolls, evaluating the abuse, and terminating the interview. Tabular data and 3 references.