Narrative completeness and investigation relevant information in child sexual abuse

Abstract

Purpose

In child sexual abuse (CSA), narrative completeness, in terms of investigation-relevant information (IRI), becomes crucial evidence that substantiates the credibility of the child’s testimony. This study aims to evaluate the separate and joint effect of the child’s age and PTSD on the quantity and quality of IRI provided.

Methods

Eighty-one testimonies of Italian children (55 girls and 26 boys), victims and witnesses of CSA aged 4–17 years (M = 9.7, SD = 3.6) and involved in criminal proceedings at the Criminal Court of Milan were analysed. The assessment of narrative completeness was based on the quantity and quality of IRI provided. Correlations were calculated among the variables investigated, and mediation analyses were conducted to verify the possible mediating effects of PTSD in the association between age and the IRI provided.

Results

Child’s age positively correlates with the IRI provided (r = .245, p = .027), whereas PTSD negatively correlates with the IRI presented within the testimony (r = −.228, p = .041). Moreover, PTSD partially mediated the relation between child’s age and temporal information (β = 0.238, p = .044).

Conclusions

Our findings reaffirm the role of age and explore the effect of PTSD, offering useful insights to ensure the best interest of the child is safeguarded in CSA legal proceedings.