1. Questioning Children Rita Farrell, Forensic Interview Specialist
Gundersen National Child Protection Training Center

2. “Children of all ages can tell us what they know if we ask them the right questions in the right way.”
(Walker, 1994)

3. Definition of “Question”
A sentence worded or expressed so as to elicit information.
Questions are sentences which seek information.

4. Different Types of Questions
Open-Ended/Open Invitation
Recall/Recognition
Closed
Funneling/hourglass
Leading
Indirect
Direct

5. Open-Ended Questions Open-Ended Questions
Open-ended questions are ones that require more than one word answers. The answers could come in the form of a list, a few sentences or something longer such as narrative.
Here are some examples of open-ended questions:
Tell me about things you like to do?
What is your favorite thing about playing soccer?

6. Open-Ended Questions
Open-ended questions allow children to give longer responses and more narrative. This is the most preferred question in our forensic interviews. We must remember that the age of the child can affect the response and narrative we receive. There are lots of different types of open questions; some are more closed than others! Find more at:

7. Recall and Reconstruction Questions
Questions that are “recall” require something to be remembered or recalled
Questions that are “reconstruction” require some deeper thought.
Zoo example
Find more at:

8. Closed Questions Closed questions invite a short focused answer
Closed questions are usually easy to answer
What is a closed question we may ask in our interview?
Find more at:

9. Closed questions in our interviews
Closed questions can simply require a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ answer, for example: Do you go to school? The use of closed questions can be beneficial in our interviews to avoid making assumptions. Always follow a closed questions with an open-ended question.

10. Funneling
Funneling is a process of asking a series of questions that may become more restrictive (closed), starting with open questions and ending with closed questions. It is important in our interviews to remember to open back up if we do start to “funnel.” Think of an hourglass rather than a funnel for our interviews. Find more at:

11. Leading Questions
A leading question, usually subtly, points the respondent’s answer in a certain direction. Find more at:

12. Rhetorical Questions Questions that don’t require an answer.
These questions should not be part of our forensic interviews.
Don’t tell, ask!
X “I know this is difficult to talk about”
“Tell me about not talking about it”
Find more at:

13. Types of Responses
A direct and honest response – An interviewer wants to elicit accurate, honest statements from child.
A lie or Inconsistent statements – May happen in our interviews and we need to address when they occur.
Out of context – The child (young children) may say something that is totally unconnected or irrelevant to the question or attempt to change the topic.  It may be appropriate to reword a question in these cases.
Partial answers – The child may select only parts of question to answer. (sometimes this is to see your response)
Find more at:

14. Types of Responses
Avoiding the answer – This response is often normal, remember disclosure is a process not an event.
Stalling – A response that can mean the child needs more processing time or may answer with another question.
Distortion – The child may answer the question based on their perceptions and not even realize that because of what people have told them or their own bias, may be influenced by exaggeration. The dynamics of abuse can be present with this type of response.
Refusal – The child may simply refuse to answer, either by remaining silent or by saying, ‘I don’t know.’
Find more at:

15. Direct versus Indirect Questions
Remember linguistics!
Direct: Do you go to school?
Indirect: Tell me about school?

16. A “direct” question means so many things to many people
Is a direct question leading?
Different names for direct:
Leading
Closed-ended
Yes/no
Interrogative

17. Activity Get with partners - weekend Only yes/no questions
Only open invitation questions

18. Communication
Communication is an exchange between a sender and receiver
Ex: Telephone

19. We need to understand … The questions we ask
The interpretation of question by child
The answer
The interpretation of answer by interviewer
Examples

20. How can our questions be confusing?
Children may only hear one part of your question and will isolate that part for their response (Walker, 1994)
4 year old
Q: When you were at your grandma’s house with your daddy, whose mamma is your grandma?
A: Grandma Ann

21. Confusing Questions
If children do not understand the question, they will often repeat the end of the prior sentence (Walker, 1994)
Q: Is she your daddy’s mamma?
A: Huh?
A: Daddy’s mamma

22. More Confusing Questions
If they do not know the answer to the question, they will often attempt to give ANY information that they have on the topic (Walker, 1994)
Q: Is grandma daddy’s mother?
A: She has a boyfriend, two boyfriends.

23. Be Cautious
Time – Anchor to meaningful events in child’s life (holidays, school, birthdays) and frequency of time
“Did that happen one time or more than one time?”
Age – Children may not be able to estimate age, but they will understand language “grown-up or child,” old enough to drive, “big like me or small like you”

24. Best Practice – Consider Culture
Time - Be cautious when anchoring to meaningful events that many cultures may not celebrate holidays, birthdays and other events. Words – Use of a word in one language in a way that inadvertently offends the interviewee

25. Best Practice – Consider Culture
The multiple meaning of “Yes”
I understand
I agree
I approve
I accept
“Yes”
I heard what you said, but I may or may not agree with you
I understand what you said, but I may or may not do what I understand
I agree and will do what you said
Important for you, but I may not agree with you on this

26. Age-Appropriate Interview Questions
Dark shading indicates that a developmentally “typical” child may be able to answer those questions. Light shading indicates that some children at that age may have the capacity to answer those questions.
Remember: age, ability and trauma are affectors (Foster, A. 2013)
Adapted from Massengale, J. (2001). Bourg, W. et a. (1999). Graffam-Walker, A.
(2013). Saywitz, K. (2002)
Tuesday AM – CornerHouse Child Sexual Abuse Forensic Interview Training © 2008

27. Questioning Children: Use “hourglass” questioning technique
Open Invitation → Narrative Response
Cued Recall → Cued Response
Option Posing → Selected Response
Yes/No → Yes/No Response
Suggestive → Suggested Response
Immediately open back up to Open Invitation:
Tell me about that
Then what happened
Umm hmm
Affectors
Age/Ability
Age and ability can enhance and affect recall
Trauma
Trauma affects how events are coded, retained and retrieved
Indirect
Direct
Indirect

28. Questioning Children OPEN INVITATION
Open invitation questions elicit a narrative response
“Tell me how come you are here today”
“Tell me what you know about coming here today”
“Tell me about that”
“Then what happened?”

29. Questioning Children Facilitative Cue, Narrative Cue, Facilitators
Interviewer gesture or utterance aimed at encouraging more narration
Uh-huh (affirmative)
Okay
Something else?
What happened next?
Then what happened?

30. Questioning Children CUED RECALL
A cued recall question focuses child on something they have already said for additional information.
“You said….tell me about….”
“You said something about touching, tell me about touching.”
“You said something about touching. Who touched you?”

31. Questioning Children CUED RECALL Examples
“You said Al did something yucky. What was yucky?”
“You said Johnny touched you. Where did he touch you?”
“You said Johnny touched you. Where were you when that happened?”
“You said Johnny touched you. Where on your body did he touch you?”
“When did that happen?”

32. Questioning Children OPTION POSING
A question that presents the child with a number of alternative responses from which to choose
Option posing is a multiple choice question with an out
“You said it happened in your house. Did it happen in the living room, bedroom or somewhere else?”

33. Questioning Children YES/NO
A question that limits the child to answering only yes or no
Avoid:
“Can you….”
“Do you remember….”

34. Questioning Children SUGGESTIVE
Statements asking for confirmation when the information is not accurate
Forced choice questions
“You said it happened in your house. Was that in the living room or bedroom?”
Assumptive questions
“Tell me about school” when you don’t know if child goes to school

35. Questioning Children SUGGESTIVE (Continued) Misleading Questions
“I heard…”
Information might be wrong
Report might be wrong 
Tag Questions
“He hurt you, didn’t he?”

36. Suggestions
Create your next question based on what the child just told you
Clarify pronouns
Understand the age and developmental ability of the child you are talking with
Avoid “Can you” before questions
Avoid “why” questions

37. Practice “Tell me all about that.”
(Open Invitation)
You said Uncle Joe did something yucky, what was yucky?”
(Cued Recall)
Did it happen in the bedroom, living room, or somewhere else?
(Option Posing)
Do you go to school?
(Yes/No)
Uncle Joe touched your private, didn’t he?
(Suggestive/Tag)

38. Questions or comments?