The interview protocol was developed with four stages: rapport building, free narrative of account, questioning, and closure. Content analysis of 74 role-played interviews of videotaped investigations revealed 119 questions and statements that were rated by professionals as helpful techniques in interviewing children suspected of having been sexually abused. Although each professional interviewed child victims with a unique style, they all found that maintaining a balanced perspective to play their roles in protecting the child, assessing the child, and collecting evidence was the most important aspect in the investigative process. Professionals found the following techniques to be particularly helpful: building rapport with the child, addressing the child's feelings when he or she did not want to continue, using the 4WH technique (what, who, where, when, and how) to ask questions, not using leading questions, and clarifying the child's information using follow-up questions. Appendixes contain the interview protocol and procedures for conducting videotaped interviews. 12 references