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Emotional valence and the types of information provided by children in forensic interviews.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

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Article

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Authors

Karni-Visel, Yael 
Hershkowitz, Irit 
Lamb, Michael E 
Blasbalg, Uri 

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Emotions can powerfully affect memory retrieval although this effect has seldom been studied in everyday contexts. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between children's verbal emotional expressions and the type of information reported during forensic interviews. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: The sample included 198 interviews with 4- to 14-year-old (M = 9.36, SD = 2.37) alleged victims of repeated physical abuse perpetrated by family members conducted using the Revised NICHD Protocol which emphasizes a supportive interviewing style. METHODS: Interview videos were transcribed and each conversational turn was coded to reflect the amount and type of children's verbal emotional expressions, forensic information provided, interviewers' demeanor, and type of question asked. RESULTS: The verbal expression of negative emotions was positively associated with the production of more central details (β = 0.29, SE = 0.05, p < 0.001) and peripheral details (β = 0.66, SE = 0.07, p < 0.001), while the verbal expression of positive emotions was correlated with peripheral details (β = 0.29, SE = 0.15, p = 0.047). The verbal expression of negative emotions was associated with the production of more specific details (β = 0.73, SE = 0.06, p < 0.001]) and less generic information (β = -0.39, SE = 0.18, p = 0.029) whereas positive emotions were associated only with increased specific information (β = 0.28, SE = 0.12, p = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight how emotional expression, especially of negative emotions, enhances the quantity and quality of children's reports in forensic contexts.

Description

Keywords

Child abuse, Children's eyewitness testimonies, Emotional language, Support, The Revised NICHD Protocol, Adolescent, Child, Child Abuse, Sexual, Child, Preschool, Communication, Emotions, Forensic Medicine, Humans, Interview, Psychological, Physical Abuse

Journal Title

Child Abuse Negl

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0145-2134
1873-7757

Volume Title

Publisher

Elsevier BV
Sponsorship
Nuffield Foundation (CPF/40211)
Jacobs Foundation (2012-1024)
Haruv Institute (unknown)
Nuffield Foundation; Jacobs Foundation