Children's interview statements and behaviors: role in identifying sexually abused children

Increased professional concern regarding the evaluation of suspected child sexual abuse has focused the attention of clinicians and researchers on the statements and behaviors of children during investigative interviews. The early philosophy of 'believe the children' has given way to a search for consensus among professionals who perform these evaluations regarding what criteria should be used to identify sexually abused children. A small number of researchers have studied interviews with sexually abused children where other, independent criteria for validation are also present. Although this research has revealed interesting findings indicating promise, much more research is needed. Key Words - Children's statements, Interview behavior, Child sexual abuse, Evaluation, Validation.