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Assessing the Quality of Forensic Interviews with Child Witnesses

  • Chapter
Forensic Interviews Regarding Child Sexual Abuse

Abstract

In this chapter, we discuss key aspects of assessing the quality of forensic interviews conducted with childwitnesses. We begin by discussing the quality of the case material, before reviewing the key components of investigative interviews and methods of assessing the quality of each of these components. The overall structure of the interview is discussed with reference to the use of “ground rules” and the effectiveness of rapport building and episodic memory training during the presubstantive phase of the interview. Issues surrounding the identification of appropriate and inappropriate questions and prompts are examined in relation to the strengths and weaknesses of memory. Additional issues that can influence the effectiveness of an interview, such as the use of repeated questions, the specific vs. generic nature of accounts, and the use of anatomical dolls, are also considered in light of the impact they may have on children’s responses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Avenue W, Waterloo, ON, Canada, N2L 3C5

    Becky Earhart

  2. University of Abertay, Dundee, UK

    David La Rooy

  3. School of Law, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, TW20 0EX, UK

    David La Rooy

  4. Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Free School Lane, Cambridge, CB2 3RQ, UK

    Michael Lamb

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  2. David La Rooy
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  3. Michael Lamb
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Correspondence to Becky Earhart .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Nevada , Department of Psychology, RENO, Nevada, USA

    William T. O'Donohue

  2. Department of Psychology, Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri, USA

    Matthew Fanetti

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Earhart, B., La Rooy, D., Lamb, M. (2016). Assessing the Quality of Forensic Interviews with Child Witnesses. In: O'Donohue, W., Fanetti, M. (eds) Forensic Interviews Regarding Child Sexual Abuse. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21097-1_18

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