There is limited research regarding the use of repeated questions and the subsequent response from children in real-world forensic contexts. We analysed 71 transcripts of diagnostic assessments in which 3- to 6-year-olds were assessed for suspected abuse experiences. On average, 6% of interviewer questions were repeated, and 47% of the repeated questions were abuse-related. The majority (65%) of the repeated questions were directive, but 33% of the repeated questions contained implicit assumptions. Implicit assumption questions were more likely to be abuse-related. Interviewers repeated questions when the child failed to answer due to playing (31%), for no apparent reason (26%) or for clarification purposes (29%). Children most commonly responded to repeat questions by providing new information (64%), not responding at all (19%) or repeating information (12%). We recommend that interviewers avoid the use of suggestive and repeated questions that contain implicit assumptions in relation to assessment of suspected child abuse.

关于重复问题的使用以及儿童在现实世界法医环境中的后续反应的研究有限。我们分析了 71 份诊断评估记录，其中评估了 3 至 6 岁儿童的疑似虐待经历。平均而言，6% 的面试官问题被重复，47% 的重复问题与虐待有关。大多数（65%）的重复问题是指示性的，但 33% 的重复问题包含隐含的假设。隐含假设问题更可能与滥用有关。当孩子因玩耍（31%）、没有明显原因（26%）或出于澄清目的（29%）而未能回答时，采访者会重复提问。儿童最常通过提供新信息来回答重复的问题（64%），完全没有回应 (19%) 或重复信息 (12%)。我们建议访调员避免使用暗示性和重复性问题，这些问题包含与疑似虐待儿童评估相关的隐含假设。