Children’s stress and inattention during forensic interviews: the role of facility dogs

ABSTRACT

This study compares police investigative interviews conducted in the presence of a service dog (n = 46) to those without (n = 45) to examine the effects of the presence of and interactions with a dog on children’s stress and fatigue/inattention levels. The interviews were conducted with children aged 3 to 15 years and were coded for signs of children’s stress and fatigue/inattention, dog-child physical interactions, and children’s comments about the dog. Dog presence did not correlate with child stress and fatigue/inattention. Among children accompanied by a dog, the odds of expressing signs of stress and fatigue/inattention were significantly greater with increased frequency of verbal interactions and duration of dog-child physical interaction. The odds of children expressing signs of fatigue/inattention were significantly greater with increased frequency of dog-related verbalizations and dog-child physical interaction. Strengths, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Facility dog
• forensic interview
• child abuse
• stress
• inattention
• fatigue

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a grant from the Quebec Ministry of Justice [2019-2022] awarded to the second author and scholarships awarded to the first author from the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture [289533; 302375 l, 2021-2022] and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council [2019].The current study was approved by the University of Montreal’ Research Ethics Board (CERAS-2018-19-101-D) and the Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec [1029172S;1019002S].

Notes on contributors

Élie Côté

Élie Côté, B. Sc. is a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology (Ph.D./D.Psy) at the University of Montreal under the supervision of Dr Mireille Cyr and Dr Pascale Brillon. Her thesis focuses on the effects of facility dogs on children undergoing forensic interviews for an alleged abuse. Her research project was funded by scholarships from the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. She is a member of the Interdisciplinary Research Center of Intimate Relationship Problems and Sexual Abuse (CRIPCAS) and is currently completing her clinical internship in medical psychology at Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center for Children (CHU-SJ). She also studied at the University of Quebec in Montreal (bachelor degree in psychology) where she gained research experience working in different laboratories: the Canada Research Chair in interpersonal Traumas and Resilience, the Laboratory for Studies on Children and Adolescents Social Development, and the Research Laboratory on Social Resilience.

Mireille Cyr

Mireille Cyr, Ph.D. has been a professor in psychology at the University of Montreal for more than 30 years and distinguished by the scale of her achievements as well as the scientific and social relevance of her contributions. Since 2010, Mireille Cyr has been co-holder of the Marie-Vincent Interuniversity Research Chair on sexual assault against children and has been the scientific director of the CRIPCAS from 2011 to 2022. She is also a regular researcher of the Sexual Violence and Health Team. Her research projects fall into three main categories: repercussions on victims, mothers and fathers of child victims of sexual abuse, and interviews with children suspected of having experienced sexual abuse. She is the author of several publications: 110 scientific articles, 5 books, 30 book chapters and more than 200 documents such as reports and conference proceedings. She received many awards and recognitions including the Women of Distinction Award of the Y Foundation (2017), an honorary doctorate from the University of Liege (2017) and her election to the Royal Society of Canada (2019). She has been invited as a speaker by organizations such as UNESCO and gives training courses and conferences in many countries.

Pascale Brillon

Pascale Brillon, Ph.D. is a psychologist specializing in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic bereavement. She studied at the University of Montreal (master’s degree), at the University of Quebec in Montreal (doctorate), and was subsequently trained by Edna Foa, and John Kabat-Zin. She is the author of four books and published nearly 23 scientific articles on post-traumatic issues. She has been invited to share expertise during numerous public affairs commissions and was co-director of the special issue on post-traumatic stress of the Revue Québécoise de Psychologie. In 2010, she received the award of Distinguished Graduate for her “exemplary contribution to psychology” and provided training as a Master Clinician at the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. In 2013, she received a nomination from the Sacré-Coeur Hospital of Montreal for her “contribution to university influence” from the University of Quebec in Montreal. Since 2018, Pascale Brillon is a professor in psychology at University of Quebec in Montreal and directs the Trauma and Resilience Research Laboratory. She received the 2020-2022 Professional Prize from the Ordre des psychologues du Québec highlighting her “remarkable professional achievements”. She regularly trains professionals in France, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the French West Indies and Guyana.