Criteria and methodology for assessing credibility of sexual abuse allegation

This paper will consider three types of interview that are held with sexually abused children. After discussing common problems in technique, it will suggest a methodology designed to help determine a child's credibility and assist in forming and demonstrating a reliable expert opinion for court purposes. Next, it will describe three types of data crucial in investigating allegations of sexual abuse, and will suggest clinical criteria useful in distinguishing true from false allegations. Finally, it will examine the validity of these criteria, comparing them to those of other workers in the field.