How do interviewers perceive and manage "interviewer bias" when assessing allegations of child sexual abuse?

Eimear Lacey

St Clare's Unit, Temple Street Children's University Hospital

As Acting Principal Social Worker in a Child Sexual Abuse Assessment and Therapy Service, my role involves conducting credibility assessments where there are concerns that a child may have experienced sexual abuse. This involves interviewing parents and children in order to gather both forensic and clinical information and providing an opinion in respect of the child’s allegations. Recommendations are also made in respect of therapeutic needs. A detailed report is provided to the child protection and welfare services in order to inform their assessment and decision making. Reports are also requested by police and the courts in both criminal and family law proceedings. I have an active interest in current research and its importance in informing practice and on-going professional development, and have contributed towards submissions relating to legislative change in Ireland. In 2014, I graduated from the University of Portsmouth with an MSc Child Forensic Studies: Psychology and Law with distinction. I was awarded the Ray Bull Prize for Outstanding Research Project for my research in relation to “interviewer bias”.

Abstract

Objective: A number of high profile cases in the United States in the 80’s and 90’s, demonstrated the impact interviewer bias could have on children’s accounts of child sexual abuse. Consequently researchers began to... [ view full abstract ]

Objective: A number of high profile cases in the United States in the 80’s and 90’s, demonstrated the impact interviewer bias could have on children’s accounts of child sexual abuse. Consequently researchers began to focus on interviewing techniques, children’s suggestibility and false memory, the impact of the interview, and to the development of guidelines on how best to conduct interviews to obtain accurate information. This qualitative research examines interviewer bias in child sexual abuse assessments, professionals’ perceptions of this issue and how it is managed in practice.

Method: Eight professionals who work in specialist services assessing allegations of child sexual abuse (CSA) across Ireland were recruited via email to participate in semi structured interviews. Ethical approval was obtained from both the relevant institutions. Professionals in social work, clinical psychology, counselling psychology and psychiatry (with between 2 - 34 years’ experience) participated in these interviews, which were audiotaped. The data collected was analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis

Results: Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) of these interviews identified three superordinate domains for further examination: Quality Control, Collective Approach and Professional Identity, Personal Self.

Conclusions: Professionals viewed interviewer bias as something that could have a detrimental impact upon both the interview process and potential outcomes. Findings demonstrated the broad meaning attributed towards this term by participants, moving away from a definition which related specifically to a priori beliefs, towards an issue that could occur at any stage of the assessment process. A collective and multi-disciplinary approach to the work and the constant reviewing of practice were essential to ensure a high standard of practice and accountability, reflecting the views of researchers such as (Lamb et. al., 2002; Stewarts, et al., 2011).

Authors

Eimear Lacey (St Clare's Unit, Temple Street Children's University Hospital)

Topic Area

Sexual Abuse

Session

Oral 29 » Session 3- Voice of the Child (16:15 - Tuesday, 3rd October, Africa Room)

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