Anatomical dolls in child sexual abuse assessments: a call for forensically relevant research
✍ Scribed by Mark D. Everson; Barbara W. Boat
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1997
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 216 KB
- Volume
- 11
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0888-4080
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Although many props are used in child assessments to facilitate communication, none are as hotly debated as the use of anatomical dolls in forensic evaluations of child sexual abuse. This article examines two arguments against doll use ± that their ecacy as interview aids is unproven and that they are sexually suggestive. It also oers a methodological critique of existing studies of anatomical dolls and argues that because of design limitations, these studies have minimal generalizability to actual forensic practice. This article suggests a number of design features for future research on anatomical dolls to increase the forensic relevance and utility in guiding practice.