Matthew Fanetti

Rape Prevention With College Males The Roles of Rape Myth Acceptance, Victim Empathy, and Outcome Expectancies

This study investigated the immediate impact of a video-based prevention program developed to decrease undergraduate men’s potential to commit rape. Three video segments (rape myth acceptance, victim empathy, and outcome expectancies) were developed through expert consultation and focus groups. Evidence for the construct validity of each component was evaluated by examining change scores in a pilot study of 101 male undergraduates on measures of rape myth acceptance, victim empathy, and outcome expectancies. In the main study, 102 male undergraduates were randomly assigned to either the experimental program consisting of the video-based intervention or an equivalently long, alternate video-based program judged to contain none of the experimental elements. The experimental video produced greater immediate changes on measures of rape myth acceptance, attitudes toward interpersonal violence, adversarial sexual beliefs, attraction to sexual aggression, rape empathy, and self-efficacy ratings. Limitations of this study and directions for future research with college men are discussed.

Dimensions of Child Sexual Abuse Allegations: What is Unusual and What is Not?

Summit claimed via his child sexual abuse accomodation syndrome (CSAAS) that children often (a) recant; (b) make disclosures that are unconvincing (i.e., “illogical” and “incredible”); (c) make contradictory claims; and (d) make delayed claims. In this study, 97 substantiated cases of child sexual abuse were examined for both the key properties outlined by Summit and also for other key properties that have been discussed by experts. Results indicate that some of the key properties of CSASS (recantation and contradictions) are rare in substantiated cases. While delayed claims were common, the delays in this sample were generally shorter than proposed in CSAAS. Results also revealed that allegations rarely contained logistical implausibilities, impoverished details, a stake factor, strange elements in the context of the outcry, fantastical details, or reports of repressed memories.

Forensic Interviewing and Assessment Issues with Children

Publisher Summary This chapter aims to examine the child sexual abuse (CSA) assessment process as well as methods for generating new assessment techniques that can be evaluated psychometrically. To accomplish this aim, the chapter examines some relevant data related to childhood memory for events. It describes the main points of interest for any clinician or scientist interested in forensic interviews of children. Children can be called to provide their testimony in several types of judicial proceedings. These may include child sexual or physical abuse cases, custody hearings, or even as witnesses to non-abuse crimes committed by others. The ramifications of incorrect judgments in these cases can be harsh or can open the door for further abuse. The incorrect acquittal of a sexual child abuser puts children at further risk for abuse. In contrast, the incorrect conviction of an innocent individual effectively ends the context of that persons life. When individuals begin the interview process with a child, the presence of a set of interviewer beliefs about the alleged event may affect the accuracy of the childs reported recollection. This list may manifest itself through the types of questions utilized in the interview process.

Psychometric Analysis of Forensic Interviews and Post Hoc Interview Evaluations

Adults in many settings sometimes question children with the goal of discovering information about their experiences. When a variety of professionals (e.g., police officers, social workers, clinical psychologists, physicians) engage in this for the purpose of gaining information that is legally relevant this process is generally called “a forensic interview.” When the goal of the forensic interview is to discover from the child some information about whether or not he or she has been sexually abused, and if so, details about this abuse, this process may be called “a forensic interview of a child regarding sexual abuse status.”

Memory and Complications to the Interviewing of Suspected Child and Adolescent Victims

Forensic interviews with children are complex due to a number of variables such as variability in their cognitive development, the potential for suggestibility, threats or bribes, the sensitive nature of topics that may need to be examined, difficulties establishing rapport, etc. This chapter reviews factors that impact the quality of forensic interviews of children who may be abused and presents a model that attempts to comprehensively assess or control for potentially biasing influences. Research on suggestibility is also reviewed.