Evidence-based Child Forensic Interviewing: The Developmental Narrative Elaboration Interview
Abstract
Evidence-based Child Forensic Interviewing addresses the issues regarding the inherent mismatch between the needs of the legal system and the capabilities of young children. This is especially problematic when legal decisions with potentially serious consequences depend on the results of the interview, such as in cases involving eyewitness memory, divorce, and allegations of abuse and neglect. Without accommodations to a child's developmental level, interviews can result in false reports, miscommunication, and misinterpretation, despite an interviewer's best intentions. This online guide presents an innovative approach to close the gap by providing the scaffolding, structure, and guidance children need to perform optimally. It covers the Developmental Narrative Elaboration (DNE) Interview, an evidence-based step-by-step process and set of techniques for forensic contexts designed to help children ages 3-12 accurately tell as much as they can about their experiences and perceptions. The DNE is comprised of a developmentally sensitive core template and optional techniques that can be embedded at the interviewer's discretion as cases unfold. This online resource reviews the relevant research and then, with sample language, transcripts, and suggested activities, details a three-phased interview with examples.
Keywords:
Developmental Narrative Elaboration Interview,
DNE Interview,
mental health,
law enforcement,
social services,
abuse,
neglect,
divorce,
memory,
suggestibility,
IQ,
learning difficulties,
ethnic minorities
Bibliographic Information
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- Print Publication Date:
- Sep 2013
- Print ISBN-13:
- 9780199730896
- Published online:
- Jan 2015
- DOI:
- 10.1093/med:psych/9780199730896.001.0001
