Abstract
This study examined the quality of interview instructions and rapport-building provided by prosecutors to 168 children aged 5-12 years testifying in child sexual abuse cases, preceding explicit questions about abuse allegations. Prosecutors failed to effectively administer key interview instructions, build rapport, or rely on open-ended narrative producing prompts during this early stage of questioning. Moreover, prosecutors often directed children's attention to the defendant early in the testimony. The productivity of different types of wh- questions varied, with what/how questions focusing on actions being particularly productive. The lack of instructions, poor quality rapport-building, and closed-ended questioning suggest that children may not be adequately prepared during trial to provide lengthy and reliable reports to their full ability.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 476-492 |
Number of pages | 17 |
Journal | Behavioral Sciences and the Law |
Volume | 33 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 1 2015 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Psychology
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Law