Kids and Teens in Court ( KTIC )
A Model for Preparing Child Witnesses for Court
Bibliographic Data
Each year, numerous children testify in the United States in either criminal, civil, or juvenile court cases. Typically, children who testify are alleged victims of sexual or physical abuse or neglect, witnesses to violent crime, or subjects in custodial hearings in civil court. As more maltreatment cases are prosecuted and child custody is contested, an increasing number of children are being called as witnesses in court. Many of these children have already been traumatized by the experiences that led to their need to testify, and participation in the court process can have additional negative effects. This article describes the development and recent formative evaluation of a court preparation program that provides psychoeducation and utilizes components of evidence‐based trauma treatment approaches, such as relaxation and in vivo exposure, to support child witnesses and reduce the risk of retraumatization. Children and adolescents participating in the program attend group sessions conducted by mental health clinicians and complete a court‐related anxiety measure before and after each session. Results from 175 participants are reported. Findings indicated significant decreases in court‐related anxiety with large program effects. Challenges encountered by the program and future directions are discussed
Anxiety · Child abuse · Criminology · Drug court · Juvenile court · Juvenile delinquency · Mental health · Neglect · Poison control · Political science · Psychiatry · Sexual abuse · Suicide prevention · Child Abuse and Trauma · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Child Welfare and Adoption · Law · Medicine · Psychology
Child Abuse
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Mental Health Need and Access to Mental Health Services by Youths Involved With Child Welfare
Complex Trauma in Children and Adolescents
A Critical Look At Trauma-Informed Care Among Agencies and Systems Serving Maltreated Youth and Their Families
Children’s Conceptions of the Legal System
Trauma-Informed
The Testimony of the Child Victim of Sexual Assault
Consequences of criminal court involvement for child victims
The psychology of testimony
| Unique citing works | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,67 |
| Citation span | 2020 - 2026 (7) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 4 |