A core issue for professionals responsible for addressing sexual abuse is how to correctly identify cases. Interviewing Children About Sexual Abuse: Controversies and Best Practice critically reviews the research and practice on the spectrum of issues related to interviewing the sexually abused child. Its chapters cover all the most important topics that interviewers must keep in mind, from the accuracy of children's memories to appropriate types of questions to include to the use of interview aids, and within each chapter is a comprehensive review of research and practice, leading to conclusions that can be used to guide practice in this most sensitive of assignments.

This wide-ranging volume combines the current findings and frontline knowledge working practitioners need to know about forensic interviewing of children in sexual abuse cases. Coverage begins with the basics: legal and ethical principles, interview planning and procedure, psychometric and cultural issues, pitfalls and how to avoid them. Perspectives from a trial lawyer and a district attorney lend real-life details on criminal court procedure, interview procedure, legal standards, and what is expected of expert witnesses. Not only is developmental understanding of salient issues concerning children's competency and suggestibility offered here, but also vital guidance on the controversies surrounding false memories and untrue accusations. Included in the coverage: Working with the multidisciplinary team. Childhood memory: an update from cognitive neuroscience. Disclosure failures: statistics, characteristics, and strategies to address them.Child abusers' threats and grooming techniques. Review of psychometrics of forensic interview protocols with children. Assessing the quality of forensic interviews with child witnesses. Forensic Interviews Regarding Child Sexual Abuse brings a wealth of robust practical information to professionals working with children, including clinical and child psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers.

A practical, step-by-step guide to interviewing techniques for a range of professionals. The book pays particular attention to the sensitive issue of sexual abuse and the problems created by multiple interviews.

For the beginning case worker or those who wish to know about the relevant issues without necessarily becoming directly involved, this little book provides a useful introduction. --Child & Family Behavior Therapy "The language is conversational, the style directive, addressing the reader personally and the instructions are explicit and stepwise. Following detailed preparation for the interview, there are good suggestions on how to help the child begin talking about any sexual abuse which she might have experienced. Avoidance of leading questions, with examples, is repeatedly advocated." --Danya Glaser in ACPP Review & Newsletter Taking a comprehensive look at a complex task, How to Interview Sexual Abuse Victims is an excellent introduction to the process of interviewing children and includes a special segment on the appropriate use of anatomical dolls. Marcia Morgan, cocreator of the dolls, walks the reader through an interview from beginning to end and provides information on how to create an environment intended to minimize the child′s trauma as well as enhance the amount, quality, and validity of information obtained. The book examines problems professionals might encounter with young children and material on preinterview preparation. In addition, there are sections included that provide training exercises, a glossary, an annotated bibliography, and a listing of audiovisual resources. Based on the author′s many years of experience, as well as case law, How to Interview Sexual Abuse Victims is ideally designed for use by professionals including police, social service workers, and prosecutors. "Overall, this brief book is a worthwhile contribution to the literature on the interviewing of child witnesses. . . . Those who use, or who are considering using, dolls should ensure that they are familiar with this book′s contents." --Ray Bull, review in Expert Evidence: The International Digest of Human Behaviour Science and Law "Highly recommended." --Family Violence & Sexual Assault Bulletin Book Club

Incorporating case studies, checklists, and self-assessment sheets, this book provides step-by-step guidelines for - establishing an effective inteview setting, - building rapport with the child, - overcoming the difficulties that can arise when eliciting free narrative accounts, - understanding which question types to use and which to avoid, - identifying and using age-appropriate language, - inteviewing disabled children and those who are bilingual or use a minority language. Editor

These guidelines cover a number of areas considered to be of key importance in conducting an investigative interview, including: the feelings of the child and the interviewer; checklist; preparing for the interview; seating arrangements; establishing trust; a neutral location; background information; getting started; children's sense of time; children's language; use of aids such as drawings and dolls; validating the child's credibility; and concluding the interview.

Valuable resource for professionals in fields of psychiatry, psychology, mentatal health, social work and teaching, also for concerned parents. Provides guidelines for treating the child and family and systems for prevention. Techniques of different therapies are discussed as well as procedures for reporting, investigating, and interviewing the child.