Lindsay C. Malloy, Ph.D. - US grants

Primary Investigators: Jodi A. Quas and Lindsay Malloy

Title: Doctoral Dissertation Research: Maltreated and Non-Maltreated Children's Evaluations
of the Consequences of Disclosing Negative Events

0720421

Abstract

Prosecution of child maltreatment is an especially challenging endeavor, in part because children are typically reluctant to reveal abuse and corroborating evidence rarely exists. Victims may fear negative consequences of disclosure, which may lead to nondisclosure, delays, or inconsistent reporting- all of which affect the likelihood of successful prosecution. The purpose of the proposed study is to advance understanding of maltreated and nonmaltreated children's perceptions of the consequences of disclosing negative events. Findings will concurrently improve intervention and prosecution of child maltreatment cases and make theoretical contributions to understanding development in vulnerable children. Research questions include: (1) Are there age-related changes and ethnic differences in children's perceptions of disclosure consequences?; (2) Do maltreated and nonmaltreated children's perceptions vary?; (3) How does the perpetrator's relationship to the victim affect children's evaluations?; and (4) Do children's perceptions vary as a function of self-blame or how the caregiver reacts to disclosure? To answer these questions, a large, ethnically diverse sample of 4- to 9-year-old children will take part in the current study. Half of the children will have been removed from their homes due to maltreatment deemed true by Department of Children and Family Services. The remaining children will be recruited from schools in neighborhoods similar to ones in which maltreated children reside. Children will be read scenarios that describe a child character telling his/her mother about the wrongdoing of an adult (either a father or stranger). In some vignettes, children will be asked about how the mother will react to the story character's disclosure. In other vignettes, children will be told how the mother reacts to the story character's disclosure and asked to predict the subsequent consequences and the story character's feelings. Findings will be widely disseminated to scientific and nonscientific audiences. By identifying factors that affect children's perceptions of the consequences of disclosure, results will provide insight into potential reasons for nondisclosure and inconsistent reporting. This insight, if conveyed to judges, jurors, and frontline investigators, will significantly advance the pursuit of justice when allegations of maltreatment arise. Also, to intervene effectively, it is necessary to take into account children's expectations regarding others' reactions so that misperceptions can be corrected. Results will benefit particularly vulnerable victims involved in the justice system, maltreated children, who are disproportionately from low income ethnic minority backgrounds and at risk for a host of later negative outcomes (e.g., juvenile delinquency).

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Episodic (i.e., event) memory and suggestibility (i.e., the extent to which memory and reporting of events can be influenced by cognitive and social factors) are critical to the accurate reporting of past events. The proposed project represents the first study to address the extent to which children's ability to provide accurate and detailed accounts of rich, personally-experienced events when interviewed is altered among children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The aims of the proposed research are (1) to compare the episodic memory and suggestibility of ADHD children and typically-developing (TD) children of the same age, and (2) to investigate the cognitive processes underlying ADHD children's episodic memory and suggestibility. There are theoretical and practical reasons to address these aims. Theoretically, we know virtually nothing about children with ADHD's event memory or their suggestibility, yet core deficit processes in ADHD (working memory and inhibitory control) suggest that differences between ADHD and TD children will emerge. Practically, research demonstrates that children with ADHD are at greater risk for child maltreatment and exposure to stressful family environments than their TD peers. Furthermore, educators, medical practitioners, and professionals investigating child abuse will benefit from a more complete understanding of ADHD children's cognitive and memory characteristics because all need to question children appropriately in order to intervene effectively. To advance theory and address these practical concerns, the proposed research will examine the episodic memory and suggestibility of 60 7- to 8-year-old ADHD and TD children. Based on well-standardized procedures, children will experience a rich, interactive event (a safety skills demonstration) and be interviewed following a 1-week delay using an empirically-based investigative interview protocol designed for children. Detailed coding of children's interviews wil allow us to examine multiple aspects of episodic memory and suggestibility (e.g., amount, accuracy, and coherence of reports; susceptibility to suggestive questions). Working memory and inhibitory control measures will be included to test potential cognitive mechanisms underlying differences between ADHD and TD children. Laboratory analogue studies examining children's memory and suggestibility for objectively- verifiable events are crucial because they allow for the examination of accuracy and completeness and are thus uniquely important for individuals who question children in legal and medical contexts where accuracy is critical.