Examination of the Association Between Interviewer Question Type and Story-Grammar Detail in Child Witness Interviews About Abuse

• NCJ Number: 231245
• Journal: Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 34 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2010 Pages: 407-413
• Author(s): Brooke B. Feltis; Martine B. Powell; Pamela C. Snow; Carolyn H. Hughes-Scholes
• Date Published: June 2010
• Length: 7 pages
• Grant Number(s): LP0775248
• Sponsoring Agency: Australian Research Council
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the effectiveness of various questions in elicitng story-grammar detail in child witness interviews about abuse.

Abstract

Results of the study provide evidence to support the superiority of open-ended questions compared to specific questions in eliciting story-grammar detail. The study also demonstrated that different types of open-ended questions are not equally beneficial at eliciting story-grammar detail. Based on these findings, recommendations are presented with respect to the relationship between different open-ended questions and story-grammar detail. Story-grammar is the structure or template that ensures that a witness's account is logical and easy to follow. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of open-ended versus specific questions and various types of open-ended questions in eliciting story-grammar detail in child abuse interviews. The study consisted of 34 police interviews with child witnesses aged 5-15 years disclosing a range of abusive events. Table, figure, and references