Adults’ perceptions of children’s ground rule applications during investigative interviews
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Issue Date
2025-02-21
Authors
Rodriguez Steen, Lillian A.
Malloy, Lindsay C.
Brubacher, Sonja P.
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Abstract
Ground rules are a recommended portion of investigative interviews with children. The current study examined how adults perceive children’s application of the I Don’t Understand (IDU) or I Don’t Know (IDK) rules during investigative interviews. Jury-eligible adults (N = 716) viewed a transcript of a child alleging sexual abuse in a 2 (Child Age: 6 v. 10) × 2 (Rule Applied: IDU v. IDK) × 2 (Rule Application Frequency: 1-time v. 6-times) design. Adults perceived the child who applied a rule 1 time as more credible, less likely to have intentionally lied, and more likely to have understood what her statements would be used for than the child who applied a rule 6 times. Child age and type of rule applied had more limited effects. Results have implications for those who interview children, design interview interventions, and provide expert testimony regarding child witnesses.
Citation
Rodriguez Steen, L. A., Malloy, L. C., & Brubacher, S. P. (2025). Adults’ perceptions of children’s ground rule applications during investigative interviews. Psychology, Crime & Law, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/1068316X.2025.2467777
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