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COMPONENTS OF CHILD AND PARENT INTERVIEWS IN CASES OF ALLEGED SEXUAL ABUSE

NCJ Number
144485
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 17 Issue: 4 Dated: (July-August 1993) Pages: 495-500
Author(s)
R A Hibbard; G L Hartman
Date Published
1993
Length
5 pages
Annotation
A sample of 579 physicians, nurses, child protective service workers, lawyers, judges, law enforcement officers, and psychologists who worked with child abuse victims attended a multidisciplinary program on the evaluation of alleged child sexual abuse.
Abstract
Prior to beginning the program, participants were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding training, experience, and knowledge of alleged child sexual abuse; the questionnaire focused specifically on whether or not the participants interviewed children and/or parents when evaluating for possible sexual abuse. The results of 361 questionnaires showed that 59 percent performed interviews. Interviewers were most likely to be female, a social worker or psychologist, and to have some interview training. The respondents were more likely to interview the parents than the child, and tended to ask questions about the child's school situation and performance, the child's development, the parents' child- rearing practices, medical history, and parental teaching of sex. 3 tables and 11 references