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The makings of a reliable interview with a child witness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 October 2015

Martine B. Powell  and
Donald M. Thomson
Martine B. Powell*
Affiliation:
Deakin University, Charles Sturt University
Donald M. Thomson
Affiliation:
Deakin University, Charles Sturt University
*
School of Psychology, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, BURWOOD Victoria 3125, Phone: 61 3 9244 6106, Fax: 61 3 9244 6858, E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

This paper briefly describes four essential elements of interviews involving children, where the primary goal is to obtain detailed and accurate information about an event (e.g., an alleged incident of sexual abuse). These elements include (a) the establishment of a good rapport with the child, (b) a clear description of the purpose and ground-rules of the interview, (c) objectivity and open-mindness, and (d) effective questioning skills. A rationale for the importance of each of these elements and practical recommendations are offered.

Keywords

Child witnessGround-rulesObjectivityOpen-mindednessRapportQuestioning Skills
Type
Research Article
Information
The Educational and Developmental Psychologist , Volume 18 , Issue 2 , 2001 , pp. 25 - 38
Copyright
Copyright © Australian Psychological Society 2001

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