Repetition of contaminating question types when children and youths with intellectual disabilities are interviewed

Background The present study examined the effects of repeating questions in interviews investigating the possible sexual abuse of children and youths who had a variety of intellectual disabilities. We predicted that the repetition of option-posing and suggestive questions would lead the suspected victims to change their responses, making it difficult to understand what actually happened. Inconsistency can be a key factor when assessing the reliability of witnesses. Materials Case files and transcripts of investigative interviews with 33 children and youths who had a variety of intellectual disabilities were obtained from prosecutors in Sweden. The interviews involved 25 females and 9 males whose chronological ages were between 5.4 and 23.7 years when interviewed (M = 13.2 years). Results Six per cent of the questions were repeated at least once. The repetition of focused questions raised doubts about the reports because the interviewees changed their answers 40% of the time. Conclusions Regardless of the witnesses' abilities, it is important to obtain reports that are as accurate and complete as possible in investigative interviews. Because this was a field study, we did not know which responses were accurate, but repetitions of potentially contaminating questions frequently led the interviewees to contradict their earlier answers. This means that the interviewers' behaviour diminished the usefulness of the witnesses' testimony

Living with children who have coeliac disease: a parental perspectivec ch_1273 484..489

Abstract Background This study explores how a child's coeliac disease (CD) influences the daily life o

Stakeholders’ perceptions of the benefit of introducing an Australian Intermediary System for vulnerable witnesses

Vulnerable witnesses (e.g. children and adults with communication impairment) face many barriers to testifying and achieving justice when participating in the criminal justice system. To date, reforms have been implemented in Australia to address these, yet the barriers remain. Several other countries have implemented an intermediary scheme, whereby an independent third party assists vulnerable witnesses to understand the questions and processes encountered during interviews and trials, and helps witnesses to be understood. This study provides a qualitative analysis of stakeholders’ (N¼25 professionals) perceptions regarding the potential benefits of implementing an intermediary scheme in Australia. While all participants demonstrated an open-minded attitude to new reform in this area, their perspectives did not support the introduction of an intermediary scheme at this time. Stakeholders highlighted the need for improved use and effectiveness of current measures, and expressed concern about adding further complication to the system

Living with children who have coeliac disease: a parental perspective

Background This study explores how a childs coeliac disease (CD) influences the daily life of families because such knowledge can enhance the understanding of how to support family adjustment to a gluten-free diet (GFD). Methods We used an interpretative phenomenological approach, interviewing 20 parents of 14 children diagnosed with CD about their individual thoughts and beliefs. Results Once parents know, especially when their children are young, they seem to have the capacity to rapidly adapt to GFD, mainly because they notice how quickly their children recover. Parents may have problems controlling how staff at daycare and at school complies with their information about a GFD. Conclusions To ensure that children with CD are given a GFD at daycare and school, it is necessary for municipalities to educate staff about the disease and to give them the prerequisites for serving a GFD. There is also a need of early identification of children who may have CD. When parents express their worries, not just at the hospital but also at the well-baby clinic and primary care units, supporting treatment could prevent children from suffering from inappropriate food.Funding Agencies|Swedish Society for Coeliacs||FORSS||Swedish Research Council||</p

Repeated interviews with children who have intellectual disabilities

Background We predicted that repeated interviewing would improve the informativeness of children with intellectual disabilities who were questioned in criminal investigations. Materials The chronological ages of the 19 children, involved in 20 cases, ranged between 4.7 and 18 years (M = 10.3 years) at the time of the first alleged abuse. Method The utterances used by interviewers to elicit information in both initial and later interviews were examined. We then assessed the substantive information provided in both interviews and compared information elicited using focused questions in the initial interview with responses about the same topic elicited using open questions in the second interview. Results The hypothesis was supported: over 80 % of the information reported in the repeated interviews was about completely new topics or was new information elaborating upon previously discussed topics. However, because the interviewing techniques were so poor in both first and second interviews, information provided in the repeated interviews may have been contaminated irrespective of the children’s capacities. Conclusion When children with intellectual disabilities are given a second chance to provide information about their abuse, they can further develop the information that they report and even provide entirely new informa-tion about their experiences. When interviewers are not specially trained in how to interview children with intel-lectual disabilities, we cannot assume that repeated interviews provide reliable and accurate information, however