CFI CFI Child & Vulnerable Population Interviewing

Question 1

Which interviewing protocol is most widely recognized in the US for forensically sound interviews of child victims of abuse?

Accepted Answer

The NICHD (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Protocol

Answer

The NICHD Protocol is an evidence-based, structured interview guide specifically designed for child abuse investigations and is widely adopted across US jurisdictions.

Question 2

Before beginning substantive questioning with a child witness, a forensic interviewer should establish 'ground rules' that include:

Accepted Answer

Instructing the child to say 'I don't know' or 'I don't understand' when applicable

Answer

Ground rules establish that the child should say 'I don't know,' correct the interviewer, and not guess—reducing the tendency to comply or confabulate under perceived pressure.

Question 3

What is the primary developmental concern when interviewing children under age 5 in a forensic context?

Accepted Answer

Their limited language skills and suggestibility may affect recall accuracy and reliability

Answer

Very young children have limited expressive language and are more susceptible to suggestion, requiring specially adapted techniques to obtain reliable forensic information.

Question 4

Which of the following is a recognized risk factor for increased suggestibility in child witnesses?

Accepted Answer

Repeated leading questions and pressure from authority figures

Answer

Children are more susceptible to suggestion when subjected to repeated leading questions, interviewer authority, and social pressure to agree with the interviewer's implied expectations.

Question 5

The 'practice narrative' phase of a child forensic interview is designed to:

Accepted Answer

Train the child to use open-ended descriptions by discussing a neutral episodic event

Answer

The practice narrative uses a neutral event (e.g., a recent birthday) to teach the child the episodic memory style required for forensic disclosure before addressing sensitive topics.

(CFI) Certified Forensic Interviewer Practice Test

(CFI) Certified Forensic Interviewer Practice Test

CFI CFI Child & Vulnerable Population Interviewing