Talking to Kids Angie Scott Forensic Interview Specialist National Child Protection Training Center Adapted from Allison DeFelice

“I know that you believe you understand what you think I said but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant”

Your Questions of a Child Should use the child’s language –Not adult language of jargon Should be specific and concrete –Not general and abstract

The Continuum of Questions Open-ended / Non- directed Focused / Direct Multiple Choice / Forced Choice Leading / Misleading More Confidence Less Confidence

Open-ended / Non-direct questions Principle: Eliciting free Recall “Tell me about that.” “What would you like to talk about today?” “Why are you here today?”

Focused / Direct Principle: Eliciting focused recall “Tell me about your hand.” “What did you see Dad do?” “What did Mom say about coming here today?” “What did that feel like on your body?”

Multiple Choice / Forced choice Principle: Selected Response Multiple Choice –“Was it in your room, his room, or someplace else?” Forced Choice (yes/no, either/or) –“Do you have another daddy?” –“Did it happen one time or more than one time?”

Leading / Misleading Principle: forced Response “You’re scared to tell me, aren’t you?” “Your daddy hurt you, didn’t he?” “Didn’t you tell your mommy something different?”

Children under 7 Avoid pronouns –“What did you tell your mommy about your daddy?” –Vs. “What did you tell her about him?” Announce transitions –“I want to talk to you about your foot now.”

Children Under 7 Qustions should be: –Simple and concrete Questions should not be: –Complex and abstract

Linguistic: Theirs Children under 7 Give fewer narrative responses Give non-sequential responses Make pronoun errors Have an egocentric focus Give idiosyncratic details

Linguistics: Theirs Children over 7 Are able to give more robust narratives Pay more attention to sequence Make fewer pronoun errors Understand the need to explain Give idiosyncratic details

We do not question children We question one child at a time. Anne Graffman Walker