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Questioning the Child Witness

What Can We Conclude from the Research Thus Far?

University of California, Irvine

GAIL S. GOODMAN

University of California, Davis

SIMONA GHETTI

University of California, Davis

ALLISON D. REDLICH

Stanford University

In recent years, increasing numbers of studies have investigated children's memory, suggestibility, and false event reports. The purpose of this article is to highlight key findings from and implications of this research for interviewing child witnesses. First, developmental changes in children's memory and suggestibility are discussed. Second, theory and research concerning relations between emotional distress and children's memory are reviewed, with an emphasis on methodological differences that have led to varied results across studies. Third is a description of factors associated with the context of an interview that may influence children's susceptibility to false suggestions. Fourth, recent studies are described concerning individual differences in children's mnemonic capabilities, suggestibility, and false memories. At the end of the article, recommendations are provided about what can and cannot be concluded from research on questioning child witnesses.

Key Words: children • eyewitness testimony • false memory • individual differences • memory • stress • suggestibility

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