Variations on a technique: enhancing children's recall using narrative elaboration training

Abstract

AbstractThe current study examined first, whether the positive effects demonstrated by the Narrative Elaboration Technique (NET) could be further enhanced when coupled with mental reinstatement of context (MR), prior to interview, and second, compared the efficacy of the NET at a two‐week delay and a nine‐month delay. In Study 1, 47 children took part as a class in a staged event about safety. Two weeks later they received a single training session, and the following day were interviewed with either the NET (n = 16), NET + MR (n = 17), or in a control condition (n = 14). Children trained with the NET reported approximately twice as much correct information, and were more accurate, than a control group who did not receive NET training, although the combination of the NET + MR did not result in a further significant enhancement of recall. In Study 2, 22 children took part in the safety event, and nine months later received a single training session, and were interviewed the following day with either the NET (n = 11), or in a control condition (n = 11). Children who received the NET training reported more correct information than those who did not. The practical applications of the NET and its variations are discussed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.