Contribution to Book
8. Speaking with children: Advice from investigative interviewers.
Handbook for the treatment of abused and neglected children
(2005)
Abstract
Imagine that you are treating a child suffering from the effects of neglect. You do not suspect sexual abuse, and do not directly question the child about abuse, but she makes what sounds like anabuse disclosure. Or, you hear from another source (a sibling, for example, or a caretaker) that thechild has made statements hinting that she was abused. What should you do? If you decide to question the child, you may inadvertently suggest information. Even if you are careful to avoid
leading questions, you may later be attacked for contaminating the child=s story, given the inherent polarization of the legal process. Unless you record the disclosure, the suggestiveness of your interviewing will be subject to question.
Keywords
- child interview,
- child abuse,
- child witness,
- investigative interviewers,
- child sexual abuse
Disciplines
Publication Date
January, 2005
Citation Information
Lyon, T. D. (2005). Speaking with children: Advice from investigative interviewers. In P.F. Talley (Ed.), Handbook for the treatment of abused and neglected children (pp. 65-82). Binghamton, NY: Haworth.