[Structured interviewing of children in suspected child endangerment cases: The German version of the revised NICHD...

Interviewing a child of a suspected abuse (physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, Munchausen-by-proxy syndrome) is subject to complex risks of suggestion and distortion. The use of a standardized interview protocol as part of the investigation can significantly increase the scope and validity of the child's report in different settings (for example, pediatrics, child welfare services, court).In this paper, the interview protocol provided by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) in its revised and complete version is presented in German and made available for free clinical use in the Appendix. The NICHD interview protocol is the most prominent and most carefully evaluated tool. It is currently considered as a reference for the assessment of child abuse. The protocol follows certain guiding principles. At the beginning of the interview, basic rules are explained to the child (e. g. telling the truth, correct the interviewer if necessary). The focus is placed on detailed exploration of critical abusive episodes. Open questions are asked instead of closed questions. A good rapport has to be established before moving to the actual interview topic.In addition to a technically correct application of the protocol, further competencies of the interviewer are essential to ensure the validity of the findings, such as: sensitive contact with the child; knowledge of the typical sources of bias and suggestion; awareness and control of personal impulses, motives and implicit assumptions; a hypothesis-led approach; and developmentally appropriate interpretation and evaluation of the child's report.