Title
Assessing the occurrence of child sexual abuse: An information processing, hypothesis testing approach
Abstract
Mental health professionals often become concerned with the question of whether a child has been sexually abused, if only because the laws of most states stipulate that they are mandated reporters. Mental health professionals are also concerned with this question because: (a) sometimes it is the principle referral question, (b) recent epidemiological studies suggest a sufficiently high base rate for routine assessment, (c) it is relevant to the diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and (d) it is relevant to treatment planning. In recent years, investigatory interviewing has become increasingly controversial with complaints of both false positives and false negatives. This paper critically reviews investigative interviewing and statement validity analysis. A model for understanding children's reports that is grounded in developmental information processing and hypothesis testing assessment is proposed.
Department(s)
Psychology
Document Type
Article
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/s1359-1789(96)00001-8
Publication Date
1996
Recommended Citation
O'Donohue, William, and Matthew Fanetti. "Assessing the occurrence of child sexual abuse: An information processing, hypothesis testing approach." Aggression and Violent Behavior 1, no. 3 (1996): 269-281.
Journal Title
Aggression and Violent Behavior
