How Suggestible Are Preschool Children? Cognitive and Social Factors Stephen J. Ceci, Mary Lyn Crotteau Huffman Abstract Objective: In this series of studies, the authors sought to determine some of the cognitive and social boundary conditions that can undermine the accuracy of young children's reporting. Care was taken to include events and interviewing variables that more accurately reflect the experiences of children in real-world investigations of alleged sexual abuse. Videotaped interviews with preschool children were presented to experts to determine how adept they are at distinguishing between true and false accounts. Method: All the studies were designed to investigate the susceptibility to suggestion in young preschool children The difference between studies was the form of that suggestion and the nature of the event to which the children were exposed. All studies measured recall accuracy, false assent rate, and the change in these outcomes over time and/or successive interviews. Results: Very young preschool children (aged 3 and 4 years) were significantly more vulnerable to suggestions than were older preschool children (aged 5 and 6 years). The number of interviews and the length of the interval over which they were presented resulted in the greatest level of suggestibility. Conclusions: While some types of events (negative, genital, salient) were more difficult to implant in children's statements, some children appeared to internalize the false suggestions and resisted debriefing. These children's false statements were quite convincing to professionals, who were unable to distinguish between true and false accounts. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 1997, 36(7):948-958. Keywords: false memory, preschool children, suggestibility, source misattribution.

 

Relationship Between Sexual Abuse, Gender, and Sexually Inappropriate Behaviors in Seriously Mentally Ill Youths Jon McClellan, Chris McCurry, Marilyn Ronnei, Julie Adams, Michael Storck, Andrea Eisner, Cindy Smith Abstract Objective: To examine gender differences in sexual abuse histories and in the development of inappropriate sexual behaviors in a sample of seriously mentally ill youths. Method: A retrospective chart review was completed for all patients from 1987 through 1992 at a tertiary care public sector psychiatric hospital for youths (N 5 499). Subjects were categorized by gender, sexual abuse status, and whether they had sexually reactive or victimizing behaviors. Results: Girls were more likely to have been sexually abused, and their abuse histories were more severe. Sexual behavior problems in girls were almost exclusively associated with sexual abuse, whereas 29% of boys with victimizing behaviors had no sexual abuse history. Among sexually abused youths, boys were more likely to display victimizing behaviors, whereas both genders displayed similar rates of sexually reactive behaviors. Of the 19 girls who displayed victimizing behaviors, 95% were chronically sexually abused and one third had also received a major injury due to physical abuse. Conclusions: Boys appear to have a lower threshold of abuse exposure required to develop sexually inappropriate behaviors and are significantly more likely to display victimizing behaviors. Conversely, victimizing behaviors in girls may require a catastrophic maltreatment history. These gender differences should be incorporated into treatment interventions directed at sexual abuse victims. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 1997, 36(7):959-965. Keywords: sexually inappropriate behaviors, gender, sexual abuse.

Case Study: Allegations of Abuse Created in a Single Interview William Bernet Abstract Objective: To illustrate how young children can be induced to make false allegations of sexual abuse. Method: The author presents a case that is unusual because elaborate, detailed allegations of sexual abuse came about during a single interview, the interviewer was a baby-sitter rather than a mental health professional, and the interview was recorded on tape.  Results: Children can be induced to make elaborate, detailed false statements after being subjected to repetitive, suggestive, and leading questions during a single interview. Conclusions: Child abuse investigators should determine the origin and evolution of allegations of abuse. Children should not be removed from their parents if is likely that the allegations against the parents are false. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 1997, 36(7):966-970. Keywords: child abuse, sexual abuse, false allegation.