Influence of video-mediation on adult-child interviews: implications for the use of the live link with child witnesses

Abstract

The impact of high bandwidth video links on children's abilities to give evidence about a neutral event was investigated. Thirty-two 6-year-olds and 32 10-year-olds took part. Each child was interviewed by a trained adult either face-to-face or across a live video link. Face-to-face and video condition interviews did not differ in terms of: total correct information; relevant information given during narrative recall; or the style of questioning required. However significantly more incorrect information was given during specific questioning in the face-to-face interviews, and younger children were significantly more resistant to leading questions in the video condition. Some gestural information was lost in the video condition due to camera angles. Furthermore, older children produced more information during free narrative recall in face-to-face interviews. Positive effects of the video condition are interpreted as due to decreasing social distance. Negative effects are associated with attenuation of visual cues.