Transfer of Avatar Training Effects to Investigative Field Interviews of Children Conducted by Police Officers

Kask, Kristjan, Pompedda, Francesco ORCID: 0000-0001-9253-0049, Palu, Annegrete, Schiff, Karolyn, Mägi, Mari-Liis and Santtila, Pekka (2022) Transfer of Avatar Training Effects to Investigative Field Interviews of Children Conducted by Police Officers. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. Art 753111. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.753111

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Abstract

Previous research with students and some professional groups (psychologists) has demonstrated that repeated feedback in simulated investigative interviews with computerized child avatars improves the quality of interviews conducted with real children who have witnessed a mock event. However, it is not known whether this type of training would improve the quality of investigative interviews with actual child victims and witnesses of physical and sexual abuse. Twenty-two police investigators participated in the study. Half of them received feedback during four simulated interviews whereas the other half received no feedback during four such interviews followed by another four interviews after which they also received feedback. Transcripts of interviews both before and after the training were coded for interview quality. Receiving feedback after the simulated interviews increased the proportion of recommended questions both within the simulations and, importantly, also during interviewing with actual child victims and witnesses. This study demonstrated for the first time transfer of learning from simulated interviews to actual investigative interviews.

Item Type:	Article
Article Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Child sexual abuse (CSA); training with virtual reality; interview training; investigative interviewing; serious games
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology. > HV6001 Criminology H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology. > HV6001 Criminology > HV6250 Victims of Crimes. Victimology H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology. > HV6001 Criminology > HV6251 Crimes and offences H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology. > HV7231 Criminal justice administration > HV7431 Prevention of crime, methods, etc. H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology. > HV7231 Criminal justice administration > HV7551 Police. Detectives. Constabulary.
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Education and Science
Research Priority Areas:	Culture, Continuity, and Transformation
Depositing User:	Anne Pengelly
Date Deposited:	07 Jul 2022 10:06
Last Modified:	31 Oct 2023 15:41
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/11289

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