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Editorial—false positives in the field of child maltreatment
Pergamon Child Abuse & Neglect 25 (2001) 1395–1396
Spotlight on practice
Editorial—false positives in the field of child maltreatment David P.H. Jones Park Hospital for Children, Old Road, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LQ, UK
False positive cases of child maltreatment are extremely important to study and understand further, as they can lead to great suffering. They have the potential to lead to unnecessary separation of child and parent, parental imprisonment, loss of job, and reputation, quite apart from substantial distress to all concerned. Research on children’s suggestibility implies that false positives can occur, as Hershkowitz (2001) summarizes in the case study of Child Sexual False Allegation, which follows. Hershkowitz lists possible mechanisms deriving from suggestibility research as follows: when questions occur within an atmosphere of accusation; or are posed by an adult authority figure; and where incriminating background information about the supposed abuser is put to the child before, or at the same time, as they are questioned. Additionally, being asked to think repeatedly about an event which was not in fact experienced, using anatomically detailed dolls in combination with directive questions, and generally using leading, suggestive, or worst of all, misleading questions, all increase the chances of error. Interviewers who use a hectoring insistent style also probably contribute to the production of false positive accounts. Error is more likely when children do not fully understand the questions they are being asked, or when they think the interviewer expects a particular response. Hershkowitz (2001) emphasizes that these concerns apply not only to professionals interviewing children but also to others who communicate with children during the process of a concern about maltreatment coming into the professional system. It seems that children’s susceptibility to suggestive influences is greater for core, or the most important aspects of any experience (so far as the child is concerned), than peripheral aspects. Case-based studies of false positives have generally described circumstances in which error has occurred, sometimes describing the professional processes that have contributed to it and estimating the frequency with which false positives are thought to have occurred. Few if any studies have analyzed in detail the process through which a false positive has been 0145-2134/01/$ – see front matter © 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 1 4 5 - 2 1 3 4 ( 0 1 ) 0 0 2 8 0 - 0
1396
D.P.H. Jones / Child Abuse & Neglect 25 (2001) 1395–1396
produced. Hershkowitz’s study (Hershkowitz, 2001) aims to do just this. In this study, the false positive account emerged from a 10 year old child. It was presented to investigating authorities, who came to the conclusion that the event was very unlikely to have happened in the way that the child had presented. She subsequently recanted, but at the same time provided an account of a similar incident which was less severe in type and which had happened 1 week earlier. Many fascinating findings emerge from this closely dissected analysis of how the false positive emerged. The case study shows the usefulness of “ground truth information.” This is a way of systematically assessing the likelihood that the maltreatment event occurred. Hershkowitz’s case study (Hershkowitz, 2001) also underlines the complexity and motivations behind the false positive concern. The various elements which came together in this one case involved the motivation of the 10 year old to deliberately provide an account that was false, the influence of the complexity of her relationship with her mother, who questioned her in the first instance and whom she felt she needed to please and comply with, and the influence of the mother’s worst fears and concerns upon her daughter. Interestingly, CBCA (Criteria Based Content Analysis) was not helpful here. Hershkowitz discusses the possible reasons for this, suggesting that this may have been because the concern comprised a mixture of events that truly had happened, combined with an embellished account of those which had not. The present case study emphasizes the importance of the crucial journey between initial suspicion and a final conclusion that indeed maltreatment had occurred. During this journey there are numerous opportunities to attempt to understand the nature of the case and prevent a concern presented in error becoming formalized as an actual case, with all the implications for state action which follow. Studies such as this one by Hershkowitz should prove helpful to practitioners, enabling them to be aware of possible mechanisms so that concerns which are raised in error do not become formalized as a case (Oates et al., 2000). Once concerns progress to casehood, the dye becomes set and all the processes connected with the state system through which children are protected follows. If we are to avoid causing harm through best intended interventions, then studies such as Hershkowitz’s case study provide useful examples of how to prevent harm being caused, while at the same time responding to children’s welfare concerns.
References Hershkowitz, I. (2001). A case study of child sexual false allegation. Child Abuse & Neglect, 25 (10), 1397–1411. Oates, R. K., Jones, D. P. H., Denson, D., Sirotnak, A., Gary, N., & Krugman, R. D. (2000). Erroneous concerns about child sexual abuse. Child Abuse & Neglect, 24, 149 –157.
Spotlight on practice
Editorial—false positives in the field of child maltreatment David P.H. Jones Park Hospital for Children, Old Road, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LQ, UK
False positive cases of child maltreatment are extremely important to study and understand further, as they can lead to great suffering. They have the potential to lead to unnecessary separation of child and parent, parental imprisonment, loss of job, and reputation, quite apart from substantial distress to all concerned. Research on children’s suggestibility implies that false positives can occur, as Hershkowitz (2001) summarizes in the case study of Child Sexual False Allegation, which follows. Hershkowitz lists possible mechanisms deriving from suggestibility research as follows: when questions occur within an atmosphere of accusation; or are posed by an adult authority figure; and where incriminating background information about the supposed abuser is put to the child before, or at the same time, as they are questioned. Additionally, being asked to think repeatedly about an event which was not in fact experienced, using anatomically detailed dolls in combination with directive questions, and generally using leading, suggestive, or worst of all, misleading questions, all increase the chances of error. Interviewers who use a hectoring insistent style also probably contribute to the production of false positive accounts. Error is more likely when children do not fully understand the questions they are being asked, or when they think the interviewer expects a particular response. Hershkowitz (2001) emphasizes that these concerns apply not only to professionals interviewing children but also to others who communicate with children during the process of a concern about maltreatment coming into the professional system. It seems that children’s susceptibility to suggestive influences is greater for core, or the most important aspects of any experience (so far as the child is concerned), than peripheral aspects. Case-based studies of false positives have generally described circumstances in which error has occurred, sometimes describing the professional processes that have contributed to it and estimating the frequency with which false positives are thought to have occurred. Few if any studies have analyzed in detail the process through which a false positive has been 0145-2134/01/$ – see front matter © 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 1 4 5 - 2 1 3 4 ( 0 1 ) 0 0 2 8 0 - 0
1396
D.P.H. Jones / Child Abuse & Neglect 25 (2001) 1395–1396
produced. Hershkowitz’s study (Hershkowitz, 2001) aims to do just this. In this study, the false positive account emerged from a 10 year old child. It was presented to investigating authorities, who came to the conclusion that the event was very unlikely to have happened in the way that the child had presented. She subsequently recanted, but at the same time provided an account of a similar incident which was less severe in type and which had happened 1 week earlier. Many fascinating findings emerge from this closely dissected analysis of how the false positive emerged. The case study shows the usefulness of “ground truth information.” This is a way of systematically assessing the likelihood that the maltreatment event occurred. Hershkowitz’s case study (Hershkowitz, 2001) also underlines the complexity and motivations behind the false positive concern. The various elements which came together in this one case involved the motivation of the 10 year old to deliberately provide an account that was false, the influence of the complexity of her relationship with her mother, who questioned her in the first instance and whom she felt she needed to please and comply with, and the influence of the mother’s worst fears and concerns upon her daughter. Interestingly, CBCA (Criteria Based Content Analysis) was not helpful here. Hershkowitz discusses the possible reasons for this, suggesting that this may have been because the concern comprised a mixture of events that truly had happened, combined with an embellished account of those which had not. The present case study emphasizes the importance of the crucial journey between initial suspicion and a final conclusion that indeed maltreatment had occurred. During this journey there are numerous opportunities to attempt to understand the nature of the case and prevent a concern presented in error becoming formalized as an actual case, with all the implications for state action which follow. Studies such as this one by Hershkowitz should prove helpful to practitioners, enabling them to be aware of possible mechanisms so that concerns which are raised in error do not become formalized as a case (Oates et al., 2000). Once concerns progress to casehood, the dye becomes set and all the processes connected with the state system through which children are protected follows. If we are to avoid causing harm through best intended interventions, then studies such as Hershkowitz’s case study provide useful examples of how to prevent harm being caused, while at the same time responding to children’s welfare concerns.
References Hershkowitz, I. (2001). A case study of child sexual false allegation. Child Abuse & Neglect, 25 (10), 1397–1411. Oates, R. K., Jones, D. P. H., Denson, D., Sirotnak, A., Gary, N., & Krugman, R. D. (2000). Erroneous concerns about child sexual abuse. Child Abuse & Neglect, 24, 149 –157.