NCJ Number
132824
Date Published
1991
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This review of the published material on guidelines for the interview and assessment of sexually abused children determines the type of training required to produce adequate interviews and valid assessments of children who disclose sexual abuse.
Abstract
Those who interview children to determine if they have been sexually abused, the continuing threat of sexual abuse, and the consequences of the abuse must have a knowledge of child development and the dynamics of child sexual abuse. Most writers advise that the interview be conducted in a neutral environment and that it be videotaped, so as to eliminate the need for multiple interviews by different interviewers. Only one professional should conduct the interview, and the nonabusing parent or guardian should not be present during the interview. The interview protocol should include the information-gathering phase. This involves not only obtaining information from the child during the interview but also securing as much information as possible on the case prior to the interview. The interview begins with a rapport-building phase and an informal assessment of the child, and then the child is encouraged to give a narrative of the events at issue. Open-ended questions elicit more details about the allegations. The interviewer should avoid leading or suggestive questions. For young children who have difficulty with language, various aids may be used. These may include dolls, puppets, and drawings. Because of the controversy surrounding the use of anatomically correct dolls, they should be used only as a last resort. This paper concludes with a summary of research required to improve the knowledge base for training persons to interview suspected child victims of sexual abuse. 50 references