Kimberly Collins & Martin Doherty Department of Psychology, University of Stirling, UK

1. The relationship between rapport building and children’s communication: Interviews with Scottish practitioners Kimberly Collins & Martin Doherty Department of Psychology, University of Stirling, UK 1

2. What do we already know? Over a third of children do not disclose despite strong evidence that abuse may have occurred!! (Hershkowitz et al, 2006) Rapport Phase Main interview Open ended scaffolds recall (Sternberg et al, 1997) Cognitive research scaffolds recall & communication Reluctant. Need socio-emotional scaffolding Socio-emotional scaffolding should begin in the rapport phase 2

3. Rapport research... Reticent or uncommunicative children at beginning of interview more communicative after rapport building (e.g. Wood, McClure & Birch, 1996) Rapport results in longer responses from child witnesses (Ruddock, 2006) 3

4. Scottish exec & ABE guidelines encourage use of open ended questions on neutral topics NICHD: rapport phase then practice interview More accurate & detailedinformation using these styles (e.g. Roberts, Lamb & Sternberg, 2004) Nevertheless not being used by practitioners!!! (La Rooy et al, 2010; Collins et al, in prep) Current rapport protocol 4

5. What do we now need to know? Aims: how is rapport carried out? What impact does it have on cognitive and social factors? What is the relationship between rapport building and communication during child investigative interviews? 5

6. Data collection • Semi-structured interviews with investigative interviewers (n = 20, SW = 8, PO = 12) • Need to speak to people involved in interviewing children to assess what is feasible • Explores in detail the phenomena 6

7. Core category • Core category = Tool: the rapport phase is used as a tool to facilitate communication. Minor categories: Planning Learning difficulties Attention span Child’s background Willingness Understanding Child engaged Demonstrate interest Environment Link Control Pre-conceived ideas Subcategories: Individual presentation Respect Rapport’s limits Comfortable Developmental stage Trust Natural interaction 7

8. Planning Individual presentation Attention span Developmental stage Children’s background Willingness Learning difficulties Adapt rapport/communication style Limited benefit Reassurance Natural interaction Environment Demonstrate interest Engage child Understanding Link control Pre-conceived ideas allegation Comfortable Respect Trust Touch base Facilitate communication 8

9. Simplified model Assessment Adaptation Behavioural outcome Facilitates communication Overall aim 9

10. Planning Individual presentation Attention span Developmental stage Children’s background Willingness Learning difficulties Adapt rapport/communication style Limited benefit Reassurance Natural interaction Environment Demonstrate interest Engage child Understanding Link control Pre-conceived ideas allegation Comfortable Respect Trust Touch base Facilitate communication 10

11. Example 1 Assessment Individual basis and developmental stage Adaptation Behavioural outcome Facilitates communication 11

12. Individual presentation: Assess the child based on their individual presentation. Each child’s own needs. Flexibility is they key. Example (male police officer): “... all these interviews, they were an interesting bunch of kids to interview because none of them had access to TV, so the usual talking about the Tweenies or Postman Pat or what have you, went out the window, but they all read profusely so neutral topics with them was about reading books” Assessment 12

13. Assessment Developmental stage: assess this but ALSO differences exist between older and younger children in terms of their response to the rapport building phase Example: “it is about getting them feeling comfortable, younger child feeling comfortable, whereas the older child will tend to have a lot of awareness of why they are being interviewed and whether they are going to disclose or not” 13

14. Example Assessment Individual basis and developmental stage Adaptation Rapport’s limits & Understanding Behavioural outcome Facilitates communication 14

15. Assessment Adaptation Rapport’s limits: it isn’t always necessary to carry on with the rapport phase e.g. willing disclosers. Sometimes children don’t respond to rapport. Example: “you sometimes get kids in who don’t want to know you, and aren’t interested in you or being your friend or or y’know, they just want to say what they want to say and get out and y’know you can be as nice and and whatever else as you as you want to be and try and build rapport, but you’ll just come up against a brick wall” 15

16. Assessment Adaptation Understanding: This is less important for older children who have greater understanding. More important for younger who are confused about the interview’s purpose, need reassurance and have negative pre-conceived ideas. Example: “yes and that is usually when you are dealing with much younger children who perhaps don’t really know why you are there or don’t really understand what you’re asking them” 16

17. Example Assessment Individual basis and developmental stage Adaptation Rapport’s limits & Understanding Behavioural outcome Comfortable Facilitates communication 17

18. Assessment Adaptation Behavioural outcome Comfortable: with the older children they don’t feel patronized. Overcoming anxieties and concerns makes children more relaxed during the interview Example: “I think it’s really important during the rapport phase to make the child feel comfortable in the environment and to make the feel when I say at ease to make them feel to some extent relaxed, comfortable in your presence and comfortable to speak in your presence” 18

19. Example Individual basis and Developmental stage Assessment Adaptation Rapport’s limits & Understanding Behavioural outcome Comfortable Facilitates communication Facilitates communication 19

20. Summary • The emerging theory is that the rapport phase is used as a tool in various ways to assess the child, adapt their behaviour to the child and change the behaviour of the child in order to facilitate communication. • What next? These ideas must be quantified e.g. Observation of video taped interviews to assess how willingness is responded to and whether adaptation makes a difference etc. 20

21. Thanks to all of the interviewers that participated. Any questions? kimberly.collins@stir.ac.uk 21