Abstract:
Prior research evaluating the effect of Human Figure Diagrams (HFDs) on the nature of children’s recall of touch related information has yield mixed findings. We examined the nature of information elicited by 9-11 year old children (n=55) following participation in a scripted event that incorporated instances of physical contact/touch. We examined the amount and accuracy of information reported under the following conditions; with the aid of a HFD, a photograph of the child, or verbal prompts only. Children presented with HDFs or photographs reported significantly more information following an exhaustive verbal interview, than children provided with verbal prompts only. The accuracy of reports was high overall and did not differ significantly by condition. When children were asked focussed questions about instances of both true and false touch that was not reported during the verbal interview, the accuracy of their accounts reduced significantly compared to phases of the interview that were predominantly child-led. This suggests that visual aids may be safe to use to clarify/elaborate on already reported information, at least with this age group. Specific questions about instances of unreported touch should be avoided.
