• Tell roe about one time you remember.

Closed

• When you were in the blue house, what did you do?

• Did anything happen in the bathroom?

• If I came to your house, what would I see?

• What is your name for these body parts?

• What happened at bedtime?

• Who has red hair?

Multiple Choice

• Did he touch you with his finger,. his penis, or anything else?

a Are you married, divorced or widowed?

• Did this happen in the morning, noon or. at night?

Yes/No

a Did anyone touch your private part? Who?

a Didyoursonhurtyou?• Did you tell anyone?

• Were your clothes off?

• Do you get along with Mary?

• Do you have secrets with anyone?

• Did you tell your daughter about something that happened?

• Have you talked with other people about being afraid?

Leading/Suggestible

• Your roommate punched you, didn’t he?

• He took your clothes off, right?

• Other people have told me someone hurt them. Who did that to you?

• I can tell this is hard for you. How are you feeling right now?

Follow-up Questions

• What doyoumean?

• Tell me more about that.

• I don’t understand.

• What happened then?

• What else do you remember? . Linda Dawson

a What make you think so? . September 2002
etter.

• Go through the alphabet.

• Tell me what you remember. . . even partially.

Speech

• Think whether the voice reminded you of somebne • How did the voice sound?

Conversation

• Think about your reactions to what was said.

• If other people were there what were their reactions?

• If I was there, what words would I have heard?

• Show me (demonstrate) how he looked (acted or sounded) when he said that.

Dates

• Was it before or after your birthday? Doctor’s appointment? TV show? • Was it warm or cold outside?

• Was it day or night?
By Suzanne M. Sgroi, M.D.

The following strategies are suggested for questioning preschoolers (3-5

years of age) and younger primary-school-age children (6-10 years). They are

applicable also fDr persons of any age whose receptive capacity may be limited

by language barriers, auditory-perceptual difficulties or cognitive deficits.

1. Use open—ended probes that access free recall first. Keep the words and

sentences short and simple..For example, say, “Tell us about the Picnic”

instead of “Tell us eerdhing you can remember about the picnic you

went to with the other children in your first grade ciass.H

2. Use open-ended sequencing probes to advance the child’s narrative.

When the child has finished her or his response to

a question, ask “What

next?” or “Then what happened?”

3. To avoid communicating bias, use neutral verbal bridges after each of the

child’s responses. Say, “I see,” or ‘Then what?” instead of “Good!” or

“That’s terrible!” or “He shouldn’t have done that!”

4, Use short, simple sentences (Subject, verb, object). Askan open-ended question first, and keep it simple. For example, it is preferable to ask,

“What happened to you at the picnic?” instead of “Can you tell us if

anything unusual happened to. you while you were at the picnic?”

5. When necessary, follow up the open-ended probe with

a more

constricting question. For example, ask first, “Who else was at the

picnic?” Then, if necessary, follow up with

a yeslno question such as,

“Was Donna at the picnic?”

6. Whenever possible, use people’s names instead of pronouns. Ask,

“What did Donna say?” instead of “What did she say?”

7. Whenever possible, use place names instead of pronouns or adverbs.

Ask, “Did Donna go into the bathroom?” instead of “Is that where she

went?” or “Did she go in there?”

,“. fl,TDrt(1
10. Try to limit the number of ideas in each question posed to the chi’d (Walker 1994).

A good strategy is to introduce no more than two ideas., connected with “and.” For example, when constricting probes are being used, ask, “Did Donna go into the bathroom and lock the door?” (two ideas) instead of, “Do you remember telling us if Donna locked the door

or not when she went into the bathroom?” (five ideas).

11. When possible, it helps to repeat

a phrase or sentence already used by the child into

a questiori: If the child said, “Donna locked the door,” try incorporating this sentence with an interrogative note into the next questibn: “Donna locked the door? What did you do then?”

12. Remember to use simple words when querying children. Instead of asking, “Do you recollect what you did subsequent to discovering that Donna locked the bathroom door?” use the suggested format in item 11 above, or ask, “Afier Donna locked the door, what did you do then?”

REFERENCES

Saywitz, Karen; Getselman, Richard; and Bornstein, Geàrge. 1992. “Effects of Cognitive Interviewing Practice and Interview Site on Children’s Recall Performance.” Journal of Applied Psychology,

: 744-756. *

Steward, M.S.; Bussey, K; Goodman, G.S.; Saywitz, K.J. 1993. “Implications of Developmental Research for. Interviewing Children.” Child Abuse and Neglect, 1Z: 25-37.

Walker, Anne G. 1994. Handbook on Questioning Children:

A Linguistic Perspective. Washington, D.C.: American Bar Association.
something in the conte

understand your feelings of frustration when you aren’t able to find a solution

that works.”).

3. Control your own natural ego-building desire to get the upper hand by pointing things out

in the other’s point of view. Question the points that are not supported by examples or

facts when you notice them, but do so in way that keeps the other person’s ego and selfesteem intact.

4. Use every opportunity to positively reinforce the other person’s behavior, ideas

or actions.

5 To get your instructions carried out and reach goals that involve others, remember that

people want positive attention paid to what they say and do. They want understanding

and clarity on whatis expected of them, along with acceptance of themselves and their

ideas whenever possible.

6. Very rarely will anyone change his or her mind by being asked, told or directed to do so.

If you want to influence the listener to see things differently, avoid using threatening

languae, both verbal and nonverbal. By so doing, you can decrease the need for the

listener to defend himself/herself.

7. Anticipate the things that would influence the listener to resist—tak them into account,

empathize and know the other person.

You can get to know others by being aware of:

• Their beliefs—how do they look at the world?

• What makes them feel comfortable, confident?

• What throws them off balance?

• What kind of phrases will help you get through to them?

• What things do they do that are effective or ineffective?

8. People resist others less and listen to them more because of credibility. Whenever

possible, build your credibility through the following means:

• Competence—How much do you know, how much experience do you have and how

well trained are you?

• Knowledge—Do you keep abreast of what is going on and pass the information on to

others?

• Dependability and trustworthiness—How much can you be trusted to do what’s in

other people’s interest? Are you sincere and honest? Do you keep your word and not

make promises you can’t keep? If in a position of authority, do you back your people,

remain empathetic and see things as others see them?

• Energy and drive—Do you have the drive to see things through and do what you say

you will? Do you get the job done?

• Effective communication—Do you stay in an attitude of “okay-okay”? Do you listen

actively as much as possible? Do you communicate with

a positive, engaging,

committed style? V

OMS Preceptor Manua)—November 2005 2-D-93
communication?

d 

he/she exhibit nonverbal behavior that is distracting to you?

• Next time, what can you do about the answers to the above?

• Did you recognize incongrunt communication when it happened?

• Were you hoping that the person would change? The person is not going to be different.

•

important

Do we have control over what we say and do? For what do we have responsibility? It is

control over.

for each of us to accept what we can change and understand what we have no

• How well planned was your interview? Did you leave with information about the critical

questions

issues? Was it the words you used? Was it the individual you interviewed? Was it the

plan

you asked? Could you have used different words or questions? Formulate a (e.g., continue to focus on what the resident needs and what is best for that person.).

•

—

his/her

Practice and discuss your struggles with your coach. Ask if you can watch one of interviews.

— Plan to do it differently next time.

— Implement your plan.

— Reassess your successes.

Supportive Communication

Defensive versus Supportive Judgmental Descriptive Controlling Problem Solving Strategizing Spontaneous Neutral Empathic Superior Equal Rigid Flexible

Communicating a criticism supportively: V

V

• Describe the situation objectively.

• Describe the result or outcome as objectively as possible. V

V

• Describe the options you see. V

V

•

discuss

Give the

or

other person time to do the thinking you have already done, ask for

a time to offer to discuss after he/she has considered what you have said.

• Be aware of red button words:

—. -Always.

— Never. V

V

V

— Should. V

— Too. • V

- But. V

CMS Preceptor Manual—November 2005 •

.- 2-D-97
Calm Impatient

Relaxed Tense

Cooperative Defensive

Concerned Outwardly Concerned

Sincere Overly-Friendly/Polite/Cooperative

Open Defeated

Inflexible Surly*Complaining

Cordial

Attitudes Common To Both

-

Nervous

Angry

Truthful will become angry when pressured

Untruthful will be angry/indignant from outset ofinterview

Quiet
Generally erect upper trunk; TRUNK Trunk leans excessively (back, squared shoulders; appears SHOULDER forward, to sides); shoulders comfortable and relaxed; POSITION slumped, retracted, or raised; generally good posture POSTURE muscular tension; excesive

perspiration; excessive shifis of

position

movements;

Comfortable, relaxed natural HANDS Excessive tension held in

may

hands-warm, dry; ARMS muscles; anns crossed or held cup head or chin tight; created tasks - i.e. lintpicking, covering mouth, nose,

eyes; hands damp/clammy; V repeatedly wipes hands on

clothing or other material;

gestures -stiff/unnatural

Comfortable; relaxed; feet LEGS Legs extended or crossed to planted; FEET keep interviewer at distance; legs or ankles crossed recrosses legs a lot; taps feet;

“starter position”; obvious

.

V muscular tension

Head-straight; sincere HEAD Head-back or slumped forward; appearance; NECK beaten or harried appearance genuine sincere expression; nods in understanding and/or

agreement
jobs (contact breaks); frowning

Mouth-genuine; sincere; smile- MOUTH Mouth-lips pursed; bites lip;

lower mouth involved; jaw wets lips constantly; yawns;

relaxed I sighs; excessive tin-oat clearing; dry mouth; excessive moisture

I (drooling -physical

compensation for dry mouth);

deep breaths sinirks; tension in

mouth or jaw; excessive

swallowing; smile involving

only upper lip-no lower teeth

exposed

Nose -relaxed FACE Nose-used for created jobs - i.e. rub,

itch, pick

Neck-relaxed NECK Neck - larynx (Adams’ apple)

moves, repeatedly; pulsating

carotid artery

(blood pressure increase)

Ifdifficulty is encountered differentiating stress responsesfrom iion—

stress responses, move into a iion-threatening questioning area and

observe physical reactions - then iiiove back to a threatening type area ofquestioning and note change in responses. Try to establish a “baseliji e”

ofeach individual’s “norm a!” responses.
truthful or untruthful Attempt to establish normal - i.e. tone ofvoice, volume, speed, manner of delivery

Truthful

Direct, timely responses to questions; speaks clearly and understandably; cooperative, but doesn’t necessarily want to be your friend

Answers promptly

Untruthful

Vague, stammering responses; long pauses in speaking; answers that are too long or elaborate; voice seems to lack conviction; mumbles; talks through hand; complaints formed early in interview; unsolicited, premature excuses or explanations as to why subjeót may not interview well; tries to alibi story with uncheckable sources; focuses on irrelevant points to back story - i.e. “why would I do something like that, I’ve got a girlfriend”; overly polite; respectful; awed; overly nice

Delays to consider answer; repeats question (echo); responds with another question; long pause before answering; non-response; task priority (cleans glasses, picks fingernails, etc.); coughs; sighs; clears throat

Emphasizes truthfulness with “to tell you the truth”, “honest to God”, “honestly”, “to the best ofmy knowledge”, etc. In a very large percentage of cases, lie will

follow this prefix
Refuses to admit guilt or

consider any kind of restitution; denial

shows conviction, strength, and becomes

stronger as interview goes on

Rarely will change from original story

When confronted, denial gets stronger with

time

even though saying they didn’t do it; asks

what will happen if they say they did it;

denials lack conviction; do not gain

strength when pressured

Story can change to fit need of the

moment; sometimes slips and admits

followed by immediate retraction to

original story

If confronted, denial gets weaker with

time