The primary purpose of investigations of suspected child maltreatment should be to arrive at valid conclusions about the “truth” of the matter. Determinations about whether child maltreatment has occurred are often based, at least in part, on the perceived reliability of the statements of the suspected child victim. This has given rise to questions about children's suggestibility and the impact of various child interview practices on the reliability of children's statements. Recent research has attempted to address some of these questions in a more “ecologically valid” fashion than did earlier research. This article summarizes pertinent research relating to children's suggestibility and discusses the implications of this research as it relates to child interview practices. Specific suggestions are offered for minimizing suggestibility effects and maximizing the reliability of children's statements during child interviews.
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