In assessing the credibility of young children's (ages 2–7) allegations of sexual abuse clinicians need to know how dynamics of sexual abuse affect disclosure, what situations are most commonly associated with fictitious allegations and how the child's developmental stage affects disclosures. Understanding these issues allows for clear decision making. A clear decision making process flows naturally from an understanding of these issues.
References
1.
SgroiS.M., Sarneck-PorterF., Canfield-BlickL.A conceptual framework for child sexual abuse. In: SgroiS., ed. Handbook of clinical intervention of child sexual abuse.Toronto: D.C. Heath and Co., 1982: 9–38, Chptr. 1.
2.
FreedmanA., KaplanH., SadockB.Comprehensive textbook of psychiatry/II, Vol. 1, Second Edition. Baltimore, MD: Williams and Wilkins, 1976.
3.
BerlinerL., ContiJ.Sexual abuse of children: implications for practice.Social Case Work1981; 62: 601–606.
4.
FinkelhorD.Sexually victimized children.New York: Excerpt for the Free Press1979: 143–148.
5.
Russell DianaE.H.The prevalence and seriousness of incestuous abuse: stepfathers vs. biological fathers.Child Abuse Negl1984; 8: 15–22.
6.
Badgley report — committee, sexual offenses against children, report of the committee on sexual offenses against children and use.Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Ministry of National Health and Welfare, Vols. I and II, 1984.
7.
FinkelhorD.Child sexual abuse: new theory and research.New York: Free Press,1984.
8.
SummitR.The child sexual abuse accommodation syndrome.Child Abuse Negl1983; 7: 177–193
9.
JonesD.False reports of child sexual abuse: do children lie?Research Presentation1985: 1–14.
RosenfeldA., DelsonC., KriegerM.Fantasy and reality in patients' reports of incest.J Clin Psychiatry1979; 40: 159–164.
12.
BenedekE., SchetkyD.Allegations of sexual abuse in child custody and visitation disputes. In: SchetkyD.H., BenedekE.P., eds. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1985: 145–156.
13.
GreenA.H.True and false allegations of sexual abuse in child custody disputes.J Am Acad Child Psychiatry1986; 25(4): 449–456.
14.
GelinasD.J.The persisting negative effects of incest.Psychiatry1983; 46: 312–332.
15.
American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition (D.S.M.-III), Chapters 6,10,12,14,16. Washington, D.C.: 1980.
16.
LoftusE., DavisG.Distortions in the memory of children.J Soc Issues1984; 40(2): 51–67.
17.
KingM.A., YuilleJ.Suggestibility and the child witness. In: CeciS., TogliaM.P., RossD.F., eds. Children's eyewitness memory.New York: Springer-Verlag, 1987: 24–35.
18.
NelsonK.The transition from infant to child memory. In: Moscouitch, ed. Infant memory: its relation to normal and pathological memory in humans and other animals.New York: Plenum Press, 1984: 103–130.
19.
PerlmutterM., AngristM.Development of recall in 2 to 4 year old children.Dev Psychol1979; 15(1): 73–83.
20.
HudsonJ., NelsonK.Effects of script structure on children's story recall.Dev Psychol1983; 19(4): 625–635.
21.
NurcombeB.The child as a witness: competency and credibility.J Am Acad Child Psychiatry1986; 25(4): 473–480.
22.
De YoungM.A conceptual model for judging the truthfulness of a young child's allegation of sexual abuse.Am J Orthopsychiatry1986; 56(4): 550–559.
23.
SteinhauerP.D., Rae-GrantQ.Psychological problems of the child in the family.New York: Basic Books,1983.
24.
BatesA.The development of the sense of time in the young child.J Gen Psychol1946; 68: 97–125.
25.
FriedmanW. ed. The developmental psychology of time.New York: Academic Press,1982: 140–169.
26.
SingerD., RevesonT.How a child thinks.New York: New American Library,1978.
27.
WehrspannW., SteinhauerP., Klajner-DiamondH.Criteria and methodology for assessing credibility of sexual abuse allegations.Can J Psychiatry1987; 32(7).
