PROPER AND IMPROPER USE OF DOLLS, DRAWINGS & OTHER PROPS IN FORENSIC INTERVIEWS

1. PROPER AND IMPROPER USE OF DOLLS, DRAWINGS & OTHER PROPS IN FORENSIC INTERVIEWS L. Dennison Reed, Psy.D. Child Sexual Abuse: Assessment NSU-Center for Psychological Studies

2. DOLLS, DRAWINGS & OTHER PROPS SHOULD BE USED WITH CAUTION • Always try to elicit a verbal description FIRST (without the use of props); and only use props as needed for clarification purposes, e.g., body parts • Videotaping of interviews is especially important when props are used.

3. Anatomical Dolls • There is widespread agreement that anatomical dolls should not be used to elicit disclosures. (APSAC, 2012) • If the use of props is necessary, other props are less controversial and less suggestive than anatomical dolls, e.g., ‘cookie cutter’ human figure drawings (body maps)

4. Dolls of any sort and other props should not be used by children under 3 ½ for demonstration purposes • Children younger than ~3½ have not yet mastered “symbolic representation” and are therefore unable to use dolls and other props to accurately depict (reenact) what they have experienced.

5. Anatomical Dolls and other props can serve as “Distracters” • This is especially true for children under 5 years old and for older children who tend to be distractible.

6. Young children sometimes look to ‘environmental clues’ to answer adult’s questions • In the Bruck et al. study, children sometimes used available props in an inaccurate fashion, e.g., demonstrating how the doctor used the toy stethoscope to examine their genitals or anal area • Interviewers should be cautious about asking very young children (i.e., 3-year-olds) to re-enact events with props

7. Anatomical Drawings

8. Anatomical Drawings • If anatomical drawings are used, they should generally be used afterthe child’s verbal disclosure to clarify and/or document child’s account, e.g., “He put his pee-pee in my cootie.” • Anatomical drawings can be suggestive, especially when used with preschoolers; and introduced before the child provides a verbal account of abuse; and when paired with suggestive/leading questions. They can also provide sexually naïve children with new or misleading information (e.g., pubic hair). When child provides such information without first seeing the anatomical drawing, it can be more compelling, e.g., “He had red hair on his pee-pee”

9. Non-Anatomical Drawings “Cookie Cutter Drawings” • Can be used in place of anatomical drawings, and for the same purposes, e.g., to clarify and/or document child’s verbal account • Potentially less suggestive than anatomical drawings that depict genitals, nipples, etc.

10. Media that is NOT recommended for use in forensic interviews • Hand puppets • Doll houses • Sand trays • Anatomical dolls