Best practice vs. reality
An exploratory study of communication dynamics during forensic dental and medical examinations in child abuse investigations
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11339409 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Hayley Ko (0000-0003-4994-4494), Hayley Manalang Ko (OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University, corresponding author), Gunn Astrid Baugerud (0000-0003-1322-5316, OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University), Miriam S Johnson (0000-0001-7486-2859, OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University), Unni‐mette Stamnes Köpp (0000-0002-2877-5874), Unni-Mette Stamnes Köpp (University of Oslo), Ewa A Szyszko Hovden |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 182 |
| Pages | 108786 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Children and Youth Services Review (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0190-7409 • E-ISSN: 1873-7765 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108786 |
| OpenAlex | W7126092066 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 40 |
Healthcare communication in child abuse cases is an under-researched area. • Healthcare professionals mostly use option-posing utterances. • Open-ended prompts, specifically invitations, were uncommon. • Best practice interviewing should be adapted for forensic health examinations. Forensic health examinations are a routine part of child abuse investigations, yet healthcare professionals may lack the skills required to communicate effectively with victims. Best practice interviewing techniques have been adopted in various professions, yet they have not been widely implemented among healthcare professionals. Little is known about the communication dynamics during forensic health examinations in relation to best practice interviewing principles. Participants included nine youths (aged 13–16) and eight healthcare professionals involved in forensic dental and medical examinations carried out as part of child abuse investigations. Using a hybrid content analysis approach supplemented by inductive coding, healthcare professionals’ utterances were coded to identify the use of open-ended or closed-ended statements. Children’s responses were categorised as descriptive, “don’t know,” or yes/no. The length of each utterance or response was measured by word count. Preliminary revealed that healthcare professionals primarily used option-posing utterances, while invitations were used in only 0.6% of cases. Conversations also lacked a clear structure, with key components such as introductory statements and ground rules inconsistently applied. This study highlights the need to establish best practice interviewing techniques tailored for healthcare settings. Given their crucial role in child abuse investigations, healthcare professionals should receive training in evidence-based communication strategies. Implementing structured interviewing protocols in medical and dental contexts could improve information gathering while ensuring child-centred, ethical, and supportive interactions
Best practice · Child abuse · Clinical Practice · Exploratory research · Forensic science · Health care · Health professionals · Interview · Child Abuse and Related Trauma · Child Abuse and Trauma · Memory Processes and Influences
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A structured forensic interview protocol improves the quality and informativeness of investigative interviews with children
The Structure of Patients' Presenting Concerns
An analysis of the quality of investigative interviews with children in France
Doctor–parent–child communication. A (re)view of the literature
Years of Research Into Children’s Irony Comprehension
Pragmatic failure and referential ambiguity when attorneys ask child witnesses “do you know/remember” questions
Adherence to the Revised NICHD Protocol recommendations for conducting repeated supportive interviews is associated with the likelihood that children will allege abuse
Exploratory studies to inform full-scale evaluations of complex public health interventions
The Uses of Humour in Case Management with High-Risk Children and their Families
Evaluating Child Interviews Conducted by Child Protective Services Workers and Police Investigators
Why Healthcare and Education Professionals Underreport Suspicions of Child Abuse
| Highly cited | No |
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