Suppositional Wh-Questions About Perceptions, Conversations, and actions are More Productive than Paired Yes-No Questions when Questioning Maltreated Children

2022 ◽  
pp. 107755952110672
Author(s):  
Hayden M. Henderson ◽  
Georgia M. Lundon ◽  
Thomas D. Lyon
Keyword(s):  
Child Witnesses ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Maltreated Children ◽  
Wh Questions ◽  
Forensic Interviewers

Forensic interviewers are taught to pair yes–no questions with open-ended requests for recall in order to reduce the likelihood that they will be misled by false “yes” responses. However, yes–no questions may elicit false “no” responses. Questioning 112 6- to 11-year-old maltreated children about three innocuous events (outside activities, yesterday, last birthday), this study compared the productivity of paired yes–no questions about perceptions, conversations, and actions involving the hands and mouth (e.g., “Did you say anything?”) with wh-questions (e.g., “What did you say?”). The wh-questions presupposed that children had content to provide, but did not specify that content. Children were twice as likely to deny content and half as likely to provide novel information when interviewers asked them yes–no questions. Younger children were more inclined than older children to deny content and give unelaborated “yes” responses. The results support further research into the potential for suppositional wh-questions to increase child witnesses’ productivity.

Don’t know responding in young maltreated children: The effects of wh- questions type and enhanced interview instructions.

2021 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 124-137
Author(s):  
Kelly McWilliams ◽  
Shanna Williams ◽  
Stacia N. Stolzenberg ◽  
Angela D. Evans ◽  
Thomas D. Lyon
Keyword(s):  
Maltreated Children ◽  
Wh Questions

Children’s Signaling of Incomprehension: The Diagnosticity of Practice Questions During Interview Instructions

2020 ◽  
pp. 107755952097135
Author(s):  
Hayden M. Henderson ◽  
Thomas D. Lyon
Keyword(s):  
Older Children ◽  
Forensic Interviewers ◽  
Don't Know Responses ◽  
Practice Questions

Forensic interviewers are routinely advised to instruct children that they should indicate when they do not understand a question. This study examined whether administering the instruction with a practice question may help interviewers identify the means by which individual children signal incomprehension. We examined 446 interviews with children questioned about abuse, including 252 interviews in which interviewers administered the instruction with a practice question (4- to 13-year-old children; M age = 7.7). Older children more often explicitly referred to incomprehension when answering the practice question and throughout the interviews, whereas younger children simply requested repetition or gave “don’t know” responses, and individual children’s responses to the practice questions predicted their responses later in the interviews. Similarly, older children were more likely to seek confirmation of their understanding of interviewers’ questions and to request specification. The results highlight the need for interviewers to test and closely monitor younger children’s responses for ambiguous signs of incomprehension.

“Yes, My Uncle, I’ll Do Whatever You Say”: Experiences of Israeli Muslim Arab Children During Forensic Interviews Following Child Sexual Abuse

2020 ◽  
pp. 088626052094373
Author(s):  
Carmit Katz ◽  
Dafna Tener ◽  
Amitai Marmor ◽  
Efrat Lusky-Weisrose ◽  
Hanin Mordi
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Child Sexual Abuse ◽  
Cultural Difference ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Forensic Interviews ◽  
Maltreated Children ◽  
Arab Children ◽  
Jewish Society ◽  
The Family ◽  
Forensic Interviewers

Children from Arab society in Israel have been overlooked in previous studies and efforts in the area of forensic interviews. The current study provides an in-depth thematic analysis of 30 forensic interviews with Israeli Muslim Arab children following child sexual abuse (CSA), all conducted by Arab forensic interviewers. In multicultural Israeli society, Muslim Arabs make up 18% of the population. In addition to the religious and cultural difference, this minority is involved in an ongoing conflict with the majority Jewish society in Israel and tends to have low trust of government authorities. This background necessarily affects the area of forensic interviews with children. The research explores the unique encounter between maltreated children from Israeli Muslim Arab society and forensic interviewers, highlighting its particular characteristics and challenges. Data analysis revealed a central theme of a clash of worlds. The forensic interviewers, although hailing from a similar background as the children, followed best practices developed in western societies. The children, on the other hand, faced enormous conflict in addressing CSA terminology and complying with the requirements of the forensic world in ways that are forbidden to the them in their own. Moreover, having been educated to accept the authority of adults unquestioningly, the children were torn between the difficulty of disclosing the abuse to someone outside the family, and the obligation to communicate candidly with the adult interviewer as required in the forensic context. The findings highlight the urgent need to reform the services these children receive and to dedicate future efforts to further assessment of cultural context and its impact on maltreated children, particularly in the forensic context.

Examining forensic interviewers’ perceptions of practice-focused supervision

2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 566-581 ◽  
Author(s):  
Missy Wolfman ◽  
Deirdre Brown ◽  
Paul Jose
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Financial Support ◽  
Child Witnesses ◽  
Time Constraints ◽  
Considerable Variability ◽  
Geographical Isolation ◽  
Specific Input ◽  
Forensic Interviewers ◽  
Regular Practice ◽  
Support Time

Regular supervision influences interviewing quality with child witnesses. It is unclear, however, whether interviewers recognize the importance of supervision, and how often they access it. The present study surveyed 39 New Zealand Specialist Child Witness Interviewers (otherwise known as forensic interviewers), and examined: (a) their access to, and, perceptions of supervision, and (b) factors that may influence their access to, and, perceptions of supervision. We identified 26 interviewers who received some form of practice-focused supervision. Within this group, there was considerable variability in terms of how often they accessed supervision, and, their ratings of how satisfied they were with their access to, and the content of, supervision. Furthermore, some of those who did participate in supervision felt they did not actually receive specific input about their interviewing. Thus, an important area for investment in promoting good interviewing practice is developing effective approaches to facilitate interviewers engaging in regular practice-focused supervision, perhaps, at least in part, by addressing some of systemic barriers identified (e.g. limited financial support, time constraints, lack of experienced supervisors, lack of understanding/support from managerial staff and geographical isolation).

scholarly journals Children’s Competence to Testify in Australian Courts: Implementing the Royal Commission Recommendation

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja P Brubacher ◽  
Natalie Hodgson ◽  
Jane Goodman-Delahunty ◽  
Martine B Powell ◽  
Nina Westera
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Child Sexual Abuse ◽  
Child Witnesses ◽  
Royal Commission ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Satisfactory Response ◽  
Institutional Responses ◽  
The Law ◽  
Commission Recommendation ◽  
Evidence Trial

In 2017, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse recommended reforms to the law of competence of child witnesses. We examined Australian judges’ practices in assessing children’s competence to give sworn evidence. Trial transcripts from 56 victims revealed that 64% were posed competence questions, with fewer to older children. The most frequent manner of posing such questions was to ask children to evaluate the morality of truths and lies. Most questions were yes-no format, and children nearly always answered these satisfactorily. When questions were ‘wh-’ format, children provided a satisfactory response only 51% of the time. Only nine children testified unsworn, and they were asked more than twice as many competence questions as sworn children. Competence inquiries have been challenged for underestimating children’s abilities, and because responses to questions about truths and lies are not predictive of behaviour. We discuss how reforms could be implemented.

scholarly journals Perception versus reality: Investigating the impact of talkativeness on children’s credibility and reliability

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Helen Pierce
Keyword(s):  
Child Witnesses ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Mock Jurors ◽  
Juror Perceptions ◽  
Amount Of Information ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Child Age

<p>Does how much children say predict how credible they are as a witness? Children’s talkativeness can be easily observed by jurors, but we know very little about how it affects judgements of children’s credibility. The present research investigates the effect of talkativeness on juror perceptions and children’s actual testimony. In Study 1 participants rated six transcripts from low/high talkative 5-, 8-, or 12-year old children. Results showed that mock jurors rated high-talkative children more favourably than low-talkative children and older children were rated more favourably than younger children. In Study 2 we analysed transcripts of memory interviews from 5-, 8-, and 12-year-old children. Talkativeness was not associated with accuracy, but child age was. Talkativeness and child age were both associated with the amount of information recalled. This research shows that talkativeness of child witnesses not only influences juror perceptions but also is an indication of the amount of information that children recall in a memory interview. It is not just what a child says, but also how they say it that matters.</p>

scholarly journals Perception versus reality: Investigating the impact of talkativeness on children’s credibility and reliability

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Helen Pierce
Keyword(s):  
Child Witnesses ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Mock Jurors ◽  
Juror Perceptions ◽  
Amount Of Information ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Child Age

<p>Does how much children say predict how credible they are as a witness? Children’s talkativeness can be easily observed by jurors, but we know very little about how it affects judgements of children’s credibility. The present research investigates the effect of talkativeness on juror perceptions and children’s actual testimony. In Study 1 participants rated six transcripts from low/high talkative 5-, 8-, or 12-year old children. Results showed that mock jurors rated high-talkative children more favourably than low-talkative children and older children were rated more favourably than younger children. In Study 2 we analysed transcripts of memory interviews from 5-, 8-, and 12-year-old children. Talkativeness was not associated with accuracy, but child age was. Talkativeness and child age were both associated with the amount of information recalled. This research shows that talkativeness of child witnesses not only influences juror perceptions but also is an indication of the amount of information that children recall in a memory interview. It is not just what a child says, but also how they say it that matters.</p>

scholarly journals Dolls, Diagrams and Drawings: Interviewers’ Perspectives on Visual Aids in Child Witness Interviews

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Alexandra Hill
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Child Witness ◽  
Visual Aids ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Cognitive Limitations ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
Forensic Interviewers ◽  
Witness Interviews

<p>In cases of child maltreatment child witnesses are often the sole sources of information about the suspected events, meaning their contribution to an investigation is critical. However, children may find recounting their experiences in sufficient detail challenging (Poole & Bruck, 2012). Visual aids are the tools (e.g. diagrams, drawings, and dolls) forensic interviewers often use in interviews to help children remember or describe their experiences and overcome children’s social and cognitive limitations. Research evaluating these aids indicates that any gains in information, reported by children, are typically accompanied by significant increases in false details, thus compromising the accuracy of accounts (Brown, 2011). The purpose of this study was to establish the extent to which interviewers in New Zealand use visual aids with children, and their knowledge of relevant research and the national interviewing protocol. Thirty-one New Zealand Specialist Child Witness Interviewers completed a questionnaire that assessed how and why they use aids, and their knowledge of, and adherence to, the literature and protocols guiding interviewer practice with visual aids. Interviewers’ responses indicated they used a range of aids, with both younger and older children, for a range of reasons, many of which have not been extensively researched. Generally, interviewers had poor knowledge of the existing research and protocol guidelines, and knowledge did not predict adherence to the recommendations. The findings identify the need to educate interviewers about the evidence-base surrounding various aids, as well as conducting research that more closely reflects how aids are used with children.</p>

scholarly journals Dolls, Diagrams and Drawings: Interviewers’ Perspectives on Visual Aids in Child Witness Interviews

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Alexandra Hill
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Child Witness ◽  
Visual Aids ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Cognitive Limitations ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
Forensic Interviewers ◽  
Witness Interviews

<p>In cases of child maltreatment child witnesses are often the sole sources of information about the suspected events, meaning their contribution to an investigation is critical. However, children may find recounting their experiences in sufficient detail challenging (Poole & Bruck, 2012). Visual aids are the tools (e.g. diagrams, drawings, and dolls) forensic interviewers often use in interviews to help children remember or describe their experiences and overcome children’s social and cognitive limitations. Research evaluating these aids indicates that any gains in information, reported by children, are typically accompanied by significant increases in false details, thus compromising the accuracy of accounts (Brown, 2011). The purpose of this study was to establish the extent to which interviewers in New Zealand use visual aids with children, and their knowledge of relevant research and the national interviewing protocol. Thirty-one New Zealand Specialist Child Witness Interviewers completed a questionnaire that assessed how and why they use aids, and their knowledge of, and adherence to, the literature and protocols guiding interviewer practice with visual aids. Interviewers’ responses indicated they used a range of aids, with both younger and older children, for a range of reasons, many of which have not been extensively researched. Generally, interviewers had poor knowledge of the existing research and protocol guidelines, and knowledge did not predict adherence to the recommendations. The findings identify the need to educate interviewers about the evidence-base surrounding various aids, as well as conducting research that more closely reflects how aids are used with children.</p>

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