The use of dolls to interview young children: issues of symbolic representation

Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
J S DeLoache, D P Marzolf

Abstract

A very common practice in the investigation of suspected sexual abuse is to use anatomically detailed dolls to interview children. The use of such dolls is particularly advocated for very young children. For a doll to be useful, however, children must accept and use it as a representation of themselves. Our previous research on 2- and 3-year-old children's understanding of symbolic objects led us to hypothesize that such very young children might have difficulty understanding and using a doll as a self-representation. In the study reported here, 2-1/2-, 3-, and 4-year-old children played some games with an experimenter, and they were interviewed immediately afterward. The children did, as expected, have difficulty using the doll as a self-representation and mapping from themselves to the doll. As a consequence, they provided more correct information in their direct (verbal and nonverbal) responses to the interviewer's questions than they demonstrated on the doll. Implications and limitations of this research are discussed with respect to interviewing young children.

Citations

Jan 6, 2006·Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology·Karen L ThierryMargaret-Ellen Pipe
Nov 17, 2006·Scandinavian Journal of Psychology·Annika MelinderSvein Magnussen
Jul 22, 2015·Early Child Development and Care·Whitney Waugh, Celia Brownell
Aug 30, 2016·Frontiers in Psychology·Kelly J Sheehan, David H Uttal
Feb 1, 2011·Current Directions in Psychological Science·Debra Ann PooleMargaret-Ellen Pipe
Sep 2, 2005·Journal of Pediatric Psychology·Karen Salmon
Feb 14, 2007·Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology·Deirdre A BrownYael Orbach
Jan 28, 2012·Stress and Health : Journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress·Carole Peterson, Melanie Noel
Mar 27, 1999·Research in Nursing & Health·S Docherty, M Sandelowski
Nov 6, 2012·Scandinavian Journal of Psychology·Kirstie MorganHarlene Hayne
Mar 5, 2014·The British Journal of Developmental Psychology·Katherine Herold, Nameera Akhtar
May 10, 2005·Journal of Experimental Child Psychology·Fiona McGuigan, Karen Salmon

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