Forensic psychological procedures in cases of technology‐facilitated sexual abuse among adolescents

A scoping review

Bibliographic Data

ID21558236
AuthorsMaria Vale (0000-0002-3088-923X, Psychology Research Centre School of Psychology University of Minho Braga Portugal, corresponding author), João P Gomes (0000-0002-3423-576X, Psychology Research Centre School of Psychology University of Minho Braga Portugal), Marlene Matos (0000-0002-2194-839X, Psychology Research Centre School of Psychology University of Minho Braga Portugal)
Year2024
Volume42
Issue4
Pages313-337
Publication date2024-07-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBehavioral Sciences & the Law (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0735-3936 • E-ISSN: 1099-0798
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/bsl.2658
PMID38635450
OpenAlexW4394911902
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited43

Technology‐facilitated sexual abuse refers to the use of information and communication technologies to facilitate both virtual and in‐person sexual crimes. Research on this topic has focused on rates, risk factors, and consequences. This scoping review aims to understand whether and how forensic psychological procedures are adapted to assess adolescent victims and how Internet‐based information might be useful as complementary data. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses extensions for Scoping Reviews guidelines, searches were conducted in April 2023 in five electronic databases to include Portuguese, Spanish, or English quantitative, qualitative, or mixed‐method peer‐reviewed studies. Of the 2523 studies, six were considered eligible. Identified procedures include forensic interviews following the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development Protocol, and risk and trauma assessments. While discussing technology's role in abuse during interviews was informative, confronting adolescents with evidence of their abuse had adverse effects on their testimony and recovery. The assessment tools often had a narrow focus or overlooked the abuse unless explicitly disclosed, implied a referral, or when safeguarding concerns were raised. Clinical, forensic, and criminal implications are elaborated

Computer security · Confidentiality · Medical emergency · Physical abuse · Poison control · Referral · Safeguarding · Sexual abuse · Suicide prevention · Applied Psychology · Computer Science · Gender, Feminism, and Media · Intimate Partner and Family Violence · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology · Stalking, Cyberstalking, and Harassment

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Open DOIOpen Access