Children's needs during disclosures of abuse

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Forensic Interviewing
• Child Abuse Investigations

Background:

• Children's disclosures of abuse are critical for investigations.
• Numerous barriers can impede a child's ability to disclose abuse.
• Understanding these barriers is essential for effective forensic interviewing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively review barriers children face when disclosing abuse during investigations.
• To identify and categorize patterns in the literature regarding these barriers.
• To explore therapeutic needs of children during disclosure within forensic interviews.

Main Methods:

• A narrative literature review was conducted.
• Patterns in existing literature were analyzed and categorized into themes.
• A critical analysis approach combined with professional experience was used to expand on themes.

Main Results:

• Identified themes include interviewer rapport, child's sense of control, communication, physical and mental health, environment, family dynamics, culture, and individual uniqueness.
• These themes highlight multifaceted challenges children encounter during disclosure.
• Therapeutic needs during disclosure were explored in relation to these themes.

Conclusions:

• Recognizing and addressing identified barriers is vital for supporting children during abuse investigations.
• Forensic interviewers and multidisciplinary teams should consider these themes to better meet children's needs.
• Child and Youth Advocacy Centres can serve as valuable resources for understanding and addressing children's disclosure needs.