Pre-professional mandated reporters' understanding of young children's eyewitness testimony: Implications for training

Abstract

This study examines the knowledge and understanding of child eyewitness testimony held by 261 graduate and undergraduate students in majors or disciplines that are most commonly associated with careers that will give them mandated reporter status (e.g., Administration of Justice, Special Education). Subjects were asked to rate their beliefs about children's communication, memory, ability to provide accurate descriptions of events and people, interview techniques, and the use of anatomically correct dolls. Results indicated that, overall, the participants' beliefs about interviewing young children and their knowledge of their abilities as witnesses were consistent with the extant scientific literature. However, there was a substantial sub-set of participants who were less accurate in their beliefs and knowledge. Analysis of the relation between educational level and knowledge, showed that educational level per se might be less important than the nature of the educational background itself. The results of this study suggest the need for stronger interdisciplinary curricula regarding children's eyewitness testimony. Training programs for pre-professionals should expand to include communication skills and assessment of maltreatment and associated issues, as well as on-going opportunities to incorporate the material into actual practice with hands-on experiences.