Forensic Interviewers' Difficulty With Invitations: Faux Invitations and Negative Recasting.

Area of Science:

• Forensic Psychology
• Child Development
• Interviewing Techniques

Background:

• Effective communication is crucial in forensic interviews with children.
• Maximizing information recall from child witnesses is an ongoing challenge.
• The use of open-ended invitations, like 'tell me more,' is a key technique.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the types and impact of "tell me" questions in forensic interviews.
• To investigate the relationship between specific question types and interview productivity.
• To identify effective questioning strategies for eliciting forensically relevant information from children.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 434 forensic interviews with children aged 4-12 concerning abuse.
• Categorization of "tell me" questions into faux invitations and negative recasts.
• Examination of other question aspects, such as exhaustive terms and nonstatic questions.
• Correlation of question types with interview productivity, responsiveness, and uncertainty.

Main Results:

• Approximately one-fourth of "tell me" questions were identified as faux invitations.
• Over 80% of recasts were negative, and their frequency increased during interviews.
• Both faux invitations and negative recasts were associated with decreased productivity, increased nonresponsiveness, and heightened uncertainty.
• Use of exhaustive terms and nonstatic questions correlated with increased productivity.

Conclusions:

• Misuse of invitations and negative recasts in forensic interviews can hinder information gathering.
• Strategic use of invitations, exhaustive terms, and nonstatic questions can enhance productivity.
• Training for forensic interviewers should emphasize effective question formulation to optimize information elicitation.