ABSTRACT

Although much of this chapter will have a legal/forensic perspective, the issues discussed have important implications for all clinicians, practitioners, and educators who are working with children in a variety of settings. Namely, to understand the harmful eects that suggestibility can have on children’s recollections of personal experiences is important for anyone interacting with children. For example, what would you do if you suspected that a child might be the victim of abuse or a bullying situation? How do you verify a child’s report about a domestic violence situation or make decisions regarding the child’s best interests when a child is trapped in the midst of a bitter parental divorce? Having the best interest of the child at heart, most professionals would strive to obtain as much information as possible from the child, resulting in the child being asked many questions. However, the way a child is questioned about a negative experience may inuence his or her memory for what happened. erefore, a primary goal of this chapter is to build upon what we know about children’s memory (Chapters 7 and 8) to help readers understand the most eective and least damaging procedures to use when talking to children about past experiences. Investigating children’s nonabuse experiences (e.g., witnessing a bad car accident, negative interactions with a teacher) should be approached with the same care and precautions that one might use when concerned about an abuse situation. e variables and techniques described in the following sections evolved from forensic interviews surrounding suspected child abuse but should be applied to any situation in which children talk about negative events.