Child Sexual Abuse: Intervention and Treatment Issues: Appendix C: A Continuum of Types of Questions To Be Used in Interviewing Children Alleged To Have Been Sexually Abused

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» Child Sexual Abuse: Intervention and Treatment Issues: Appendix C: A Continuum of Types of Questions To Be Used in Interviewing Children Alleged To Have Been Sexually Abused

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Appendix C
A Continuum of Types of Questions To Be Used in Interviewing Children Alleged To Have Been Sexually Abused

Kathleen Coulborn Faller, M.S.W., Ph.D.

	Question Type	Example	Child Response

Open-Ended	A. General*	Do you know why you came to see me today?	To tell you about my daddy.	More Confidence
	B. Focused	How do you get along with your dad?	OK, except when he babysits for me.
		What happens when he babysits?	OK, except when he babysits for me.
		What does he use to play with your hole?	His "wiener."
	C. Multiple Choice	Does he play with your hole with his finder, his "wiener,&Quot; or something?	He used his "wiener."
		Did he say anything about telling or not telling?	Don't tell or you'll get punished.
		Did you have your clothes off or on, or some off and some on?	I took my pants off.
	D. Yes-No Questions	Did he tell you not to tell?	Yup.
		Did you have your clothes off?	No, just my panties.
	E. Leading Questions**	He took your clothes off, didn't he?	Yup.
Close-Ended		Didn't he stick his "wiener" in your hole?	Yup.	Less Confidence

* Children usually are not very responsive to general questions.
** Not appropriate when interviewing children

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