The use and impact of repeated questions in diagnostic child abuse assessment interviews

Abstract

There is limited research regarding the use of repeated questions and the subsequent response from children in real-world forensic contexts. We analysed 71 transcripts of diagnostic assessments in which 3- to 6-year-olds were assessed for suspected abuse experiences. On average, 6% of interviewer questions were repeated, and 47% of the repeated questions were abuse-related. The majority (65%) of the repeated questions were directive, but 33% of the repeated questions contained implicit assumptions. Implicit assumption questions were more likely to be abuse-related. Interviewers repeated questions when the child failed to answer due to playing (31%), for no apparent reason (26%) or for clarification purposes (29%). Children most commonly responded to repeat questions by providing new information (64%), not responding at all (19%) or repeating information (12%). We recommend that interviewers avoid the use of suggestive and repeated questions that contain implicit assumptions in relation to assessment of suspected child abuse.

Keywords:

• Child
• child abuse assessments
• forensic
• implicit assumption questions
• interview
• repeated questions
• sexual abuse

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the children and interviewer who participated in this study.

Ethical standards

Declaration of conflicts of interest

Emily Macleod has declared no conflicts of interest

Linda Hobbs has declared no conflicts of interest

Anita Admiraal has declared no conflicts of interest

David La Rooy has declared no conflicts of interest

Tess Patterson has declared no conflicts of interest

Ethical approval

The present study was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Otago, New Zealand, and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

A regional Child Youth and Family (CYF; now known as Oranga Tamariki, Ministry for Children) organisation in New Zealand agreed to the study being carried out in their setting. Only those children whose parents gave written informed consent were included in the study.