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Interviewing Children Reliably and Credibly: Investigative Interview Workbook

NCJ Number
154582
Author(s)
A Ahlquest; B Ryan
Date Published
Unknown
Length
47 pages
Annotation
This workbook guides a new interviewer through the process of interviewing a possible child victim of sexual abuse, presents basic skills and knowledge necessary for interviewing such children, and provides guidelines for the development of empathy for victims of child sexual abuse.
Abstract
In the introduction, the interview of child victims of sexual abuse is portrayed as both a science and an art. A questionnaire then helps users to score themselves on which side of the science/art continuum they are located. The remainder of the workbook provides guidance for the interviewer in so structuring and conducting the interview that the child is allowed to maximize his/her abilities to communicate his/her experiences. To facilitate conceptualization of the principles presented, the workbook portrays the interview process as a train and the interviewer as the engineer. The "train" provides a level of continuity, a memory aid for later recall, and a model of priorities essential to a successful interview. The parameters of the interview are the child's competence and development in language use, emotions, and behavior. Sections of the workbook discuss sexual abuse dynamics, the child-first doctrine, the interviewer, and the interview process. The latter addresses rapport-building (empathy, setting, drawings, and developmental assessment); anatomy identification; touch inquiry; abuse scenario; and closure. Skills and tools are then discussed, with attention to block removal, timelines, anatomical dolls, vocabulary development, repetition, and memory retrieval. Also discussed are cultural competency and a scale designed to guide the evaluation of a child's statements about his/her sexual abuse. 63 references