Carlos Eduardo Peixoto

The NICHD protocol: a review of an internationally-used evidence-based tool for training child forensic interviewers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review an evidence-based tool for training child forensic interviewers called the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Protocol (NICHD Protocol), with a specific focus on how the Protocol is being adapted in various countries. Design/methodology/approach – The authors include international contributions from experienced trainers, practitioners, and scientists, who are already using the Protocol or whose national or regional procedures have been directly influenced by the NICHD Protocol research (Canada, Finland, Israel, Japan, Korea, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, and USA). Throughout the review, these experts comment on: how and when the Protocol was adopted in their country; who uses it; training procedures; challenges to implementation and translation; and other pertinent aspects. The authors aim to further promote good interviewing practice by sharing the experiences of these international experts. Findings – The NICHD Protocol can be easily incorporated into existing training programs worldwide and is available for free. It was originally developed in English and Hebrew and is available in several other languages. Originality/value – This paper reviews an evidence-based tool for training child forensic interviewers called the NICHD Protocol. It has been extensively studied and reviewed over the past 20 years. This paper is unique in that it brings together practitioners who are actually responsible for training forensic interviewers and conducting forensic interviews from all around the world.

Investigação de suspeita de abuso sexual infantojuvenil: o Protocolo NICHD

This article consists of a systematic literature review on best practices regarding investigative interviews of child sexual violence, with emphasis on the NICHD Protocol (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development), recognized by the international specialized literature as the most appropriate structured interview for victimized children. The method consisted in checking the electronic databases Bireme, INDEXPSI, SciELO, PePSIC, PubMed, Web of Science and PsycINFO, using the keywords NICHD and sexual abuse for papers published from 2000 to 2013. Books pertaining to University libraries in Brazil were also consulted. In the database, 73 articles were found, 47 were excluded as they related to other themes other than sexual violence or were repeated, resulting in 26 studies. Four Brazilian books, four North-American ones, and one M.A. thesis were consulted in the University libraries, resulting in a total of 35 publications. The protocol is presented as a structured instrument, which gathers superior information in comparison to interviews with fewer open-ended questions. As a result, more accurate answers are produced, with more detailed and richer accounts providing a higher frequency of disclosures.

Investigation of suspected child sexual abuse: the NICHD protocol

This article consists of a systematic literature review on best practices regarding investigative interviews of child sexual violence, with emphasis on the NICHD Protocol (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development), recognized by the international specialized literature as the most appropriate structured interview for victimized children. The method consisted in checking the electronic databases Bireme, INDEXPSI, SciELO, PePSIC, PubMed, Web of Science and PsycINFO, using the keywords NICHD and sexual abuse for papers published from 2000 to 2013. Books pertaining to University libraries in Brazil were also consulted. In the database, 73 articles were found, 47 were excluded as they related to other themes other than sexual violence or were repeated, resulting in 26 studies. Four Brazilian books, four North-American ones, and one M.A. thesis were consulted in the University libraries, resulting in a total of 35 publications. The protocol is presented as a structured instrument, which gathers superior information in comparison to interviews with fewer open-ended questions. As a result, more accurate answers are produced, with more detailed and richer accounts providing a higher frequency of disclosures.

Investigación de sospecha de abuso sexual infantojuvenil: el protocolo NICHD

This article consists of a systematic literature review on best practices regarding investigative interviews of child sexual violence, with emphasis on the NICHD Protocol (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development), recognized by the international specialized literature as the most appropriate structured interview for victimized children. The method consisted in checking the electronic databases Bireme, INDEXPSI, SciELO, PePSIC, PubMed, Web of Science and PsycINFO, using the keywords NICHD and sexual abuse for papers published from 2000 to 2013. Books pertaining to University libraries in Brazil were also consulted. In the database, 73 articles were found, 47 were excluded as they related to other themes other than sexual violence or were repeated, resulting in 26 studies. Four Brazilian books, four North-American ones, and one M.A. thesis were consulted in the University libraries, resulting in a total of 35 publications. The protocol is presented as a structured instrument, which gathers superior information in comparison to interviews with fewer open-ended questions. As a result, more accurate answers are produced, with more detailed and richer accounts providing a higher frequency of disclosures.