Psychology's responsibility in false accusations of child abuse

Each year, there are persons who go to jail and lose their life savings, their homes, their reputations, and their jobs because social workers, psychologists, prosecutors, jurors, and judges believe what young children tell them about being sexually molested. Hundreds of thousands of individuals each year are accused falsely of child abuse (Besharov, 1984; Eberle and Eberle, 1986; Pride, 1986; Renshaw, 1986). Techniques often associated with psychological science play a prominent part in the process that results in many of the false accusations. In an article entitled, "Why Don't They Understand Us?" in the American Psychologist, Benjamin (1986) states that "some elements of the public...doubt psychology's value as a science, a profession, and a means of promoting human welfare" (p. 941). The psychological profession's inability, or unwillingness, to speak out against the misuse of unscientifically based instruments in child abuse may be a partial reason why portions of the public may question the value of psychology.