NCJ Number
135595
Journal
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology Volume: 59 Issue: 5 Dated: (October 1991) Pages: 682-691
Date Published
1991
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Recognizing that the evaluation of child sexual abuse often requires interviewing children about genital touch, this study involved 72 female children between 5 and 7 years of age who experienced a standardized medical checkup.
Abstract
The study was especially interested in the relation between age and reports of genital touch, but it also sought to examine questioning techniques for obtaining information from children. The study sample was selected from public elementary schools in Los Angeles County. The first part of the study questionnaire included a free recall question concerning the doctor's visit. The second part involved an anatomically detailed doll and prop demonstration, while the third part consisted of 70 questions (including 21 misleading questions). All children received the same interview which was videotaped. For half the children, the checkup included a vaginal and anal (genital) examination. For the other half, the checkup involved a scoliosis (nongenital) examination. Most children in the genital condition revealed vaginal and anal contact only when asked directly about it. Children in the nongenital condition never falsely reported genital touch in free recall or doll demonstration; when asked directly, the false report rate was low. Significant age differences in free recall and doll demonstration, found only in the nongenital condition, implicated socioemotional factors as suppressing the reports of older children who experienced genital contact. Study findings strengthen the need for replicating previous research on children's memory and testimony with more ecologically valid paradigms before generalizing to cases of sexual molestation. 36 references and 5 tables (Author abstract modified)