The suggestibility of child witnesses suspected victims of abuse: an overview between research and psycho-forensic implications

Abstract

In a forensic context, the suggestibility of child witnesses represents a main factor to be analyzed in relation to testimonial skills because it has implications with other psychological functions, such as memory, language, attention and intelligence. Suggestibility involves both cognitive, emotional and social factors that can intervene to increase or reduce suggestive vulnerability. There are two main models of suggestibility: immediate or interrogative suggestibility and the delayed suggestibility linked to the effect of misinformation on the original memory. In this review we will present an overview of current literature on suggestibility of children and on the relationship between immediate and delayed suggestibility with the demographic, cognitive, and psycho-social variables that may influence susceptibility to suggestion. Particular attention was paid to studies involving suspected victims of abuse in order to understand the effects of trauma and its consequences, such as the development of post-traumatic stress disorder, on the suggestibility of the child witness. The main aim of this review is to give a practical guide for forensic experts recommending to follow the indication for an objective evaluation based scientific evidence, such the use of valid instrument for the measurement of the levels of immediate and delayed suggestibility and of basic cognitive abilities (executive functions, attention, memory, language, etc.). Furthermore on the basis of the results this review we aimed to indicate new future research focuses.