The Effects of Emotions on the Assessment of Child Sexual Abuse Interviews

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of emotions in the ability to assess a child sexual abuse (CSA) interview and recollection of details from it. The participants were 105 (80 women, Mage = 23.78, SDage = 7.06) undergraduate and graduate students. Participants watched pre-recorded interviews with child avatars that were interviewed suggestively (vs. not) and that revealed details of CSA (vs. not). Both self-reported and facial expressions were assessed. In addition, participants answered questions about the quality of the interview and details recollection. The results indicated increases in sadness and disgust in reaction to CSA interviews and relief in reaction to no-CSA interviews. Surprisingly, the objectively more suggestive interviews were perceived as less suggestive and more appropriate. CSA scenario interviews were perceived as less suggestive than the no-CSA scenario. Angry and sad participants made fewer and relieved participants more mistakes when recalling details revealed by the child avatars during the interviews.