Interviewing Children about Sexual Abuse: Controversies and Best Practice - Tapa dura

"While change is to be expected in this field, a milestone is needed from time to time and this is such a work. This book belongs in every clinic, every Child Advocacy Center and every agency in which children may be interviewed about sexual abuse." - David L. Chadwick, MD, Director Emeritus, Chadwick Center for Children & Families, Children's Hospital - San Diego "Combining the best of the empirical research with years of practical experience talking to children, the authors provide interviewers practical ideas to improve the quality of their work with vulnerable children. This book is an important contribution to the field of child protection." -- John E.B. Myers, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Law, University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law "This book is a valuable new resource for anyone who interviews children for legal investigations. Kathleen Faller and her contributing authors have given all of us who do this work a great new update and discussion of the latest research and controversies on child forensic interviewing. I recommend it highly!" - David L. Corwin, MD, Medical Director, Primary Children's Center for Safe and Healthy Families, and Professor and Chief, Pediatrics Division of Child Protection and Family Health, University of Utah School of Medicine "If you assess allegations of child sexual abuse, this book will be your best friend! Here you will find the most relevant and recent assessment information based on critical evaluation of research and practice." - Barbara W. Boat, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati "This book creates a valuable link between practical experience, empirical research, and the unique legal constraints of child interviewing, and will serve as a important resource for those called up to accurately and sensitively gather information from children." Charles Wilson, MSSW, Executive Director, Chadwick Center for Children & Families Children's Hospital - San Diego

Interviewing children who may been sexually abused is a daunting task fraught with far-reaching consequences for the children, families, institutions, and professionals involved. With no room for error, forensic and clinical interviewers must navigate the complex and often contradictory evidence that informs their decision making.

Here, Kathleen Coulborn Faller, a leading expert on child sexual abuse, critically analyses the research on assessing child sexual abuse. Noting that issues such as memory and suggestibility, questioning techniques, the use of media, and false allegations remain hotly contested, chapters guide readers in applying available research to professional judgment while drawing also on best practice guidelines and conceptual, clinical, and consensus-based writings. The only up-to-date resource of its kind, Interviewing Children About Sexual Abuse covers the entire interview process, showing professionals how to structure, document, and follow up on children's responses in interviews; work with children who are very young, have special needs, or come from diverse backgrounds; use standardized tests and measures; formulate conclusions about sexual abuse; and defend those decisions in a courtroom or clinical setting.