Factors influencing the perceived credibility of children alleging physical abuse

Date

2021

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Psychiatry, Psychology and Law

Abstract

Adults’ assessments of the credibility of children’s reports are affected by factors including the frequency of abuse, reporting delays and the child’s age. The present study examined whether similar factors affect the perceived credibility of children reporting physical abuse, which is more common than sexual abuse. Two hundred and eight mock jurors read a simulated transcript of a child reporting physical abuse to police and made credibility ratings. Within each transcript, abuse frequency (once, repeated), reporting timing (recent, delayed), police question type (open, closed) and child age (6 or 10 years) were manipulated. The child was considered more credible when the abuse was only experienced once and reported shortly after it occurred, and when prompted with open questions. The child’s age did not affect credibility judgments. Current findings support recommendations to prioritise open questions with children and provide evidence for extension of the benefits of open questions to children’s credibility.childjuror

Description

Keywords

child interviewing, child physical abuse, children's credibility, juror perceptions, police questioning

Citation

Danby, M. C., Sharman, S. J., & Klettke, B. (2021). Factors influencing the perceived credibility of children alleging physical abuse. Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, 29(3), 456–470. DOI:10.1080/13218719.2021.1917012

DOI