Sexually and Physically Abused Children

Abstract

This chapter has focused on investigative interviewing with physically and sexually abused children, although most of the discussion has been geared toward the latter group. General professional issues have been addressed, as well as practice guidelines and relevant research on investigative interviewing. In addition, case illustrations have been used to highlight specific interviewing techniques and to demonstrate how certain procedures are inappropriate. The chapter emphasizes that determining that a child has been abused is a difficult and complex task. Although broad guidelines were suggested in order to make such a determination, cases will vary tremendously and many abused children will not meet one or more of these criteria. Interviewers must therefore proceed in a cautious manner and draw conclusions based on an integration of interview findings with data from other assessment procedures and from additional sources other than the child. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)