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Lawson, Monica; ETD Final.pdf (2.59 MB)

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The Reliability of Children’s Event Reports to Their Mothers

Lawson, Monica L.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo148093558237461

Abstract Details

2016, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, Psychology - Experimental.
Children involved in maltreatment investigations often discuss allegations with their mothers before formal reports are made to authorities. The primary purpose of the current study was to evaluate the amount and the accuracy of information children reported to their mothers about a non-shared experience. Children aged 4- to 7-years-old (N = 142) individually participated in a staged event and discussed the experience with their mothers approximately six-days later. Prior to interviewing children, mothers were provided with some details about the non-shared event. Accurately-biased mothers had accurate information about the event. Inaccurately-biased mothers had both accurate and inaccurate information about the experience. Individual difference factors including children’s age, maternal reminiscing style, and attachment quality were hypothesized to moderate the relationship between maternal bias and children’s reports. The results revealed older children had highly reliable reports regardless of maternal bias or maternal reminiscing style. However, younger children with inaccurately biased and high elaborative mothers reported less accurate and more inaccurate information about the event compared to younger children with inaccurately-biased and low elaborative mothers. Additionally, children of mothers with insecure attachment quality reported fewer details and made more inaccurate statements regarding the event. Results suggest that the mnemonic consequence of discussing past experiences with mothers varies depending on maternal bias, children’s age, maternal reminiscing style, and attachment quality. Forensic and theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.
Kamala London, PhD (Committee Chair)
Stephen Christman, PhD (Committee Member)
Sarah Francis, PhD (Committee Member)
Jason Rose, PhD (Committee Member)
Lisa Pescara-Kovach, PhD (Committee Member)
147 p.
Developmental Psychology; Psychology
Children; Eyewitness testimony; Maternal reminiscing style; Attachment; Suggestibility

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Lawson, M. L. (2016). The Reliability of Children’s Event Reports to Their Mothers [Doctoral dissertation, University of Toledo]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo148093558237461

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Lawson, Monica. The Reliability of Children’s Event Reports to Their Mothers . 2016. University of Toledo, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo148093558237461.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Lawson, Monica. "The Reliability of Children’s Event Reports to Their Mothers ." Doctoral dissertation, University of Toledo, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo148093558237461

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

toledo148093558237461
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© 2016, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Toledo and OhioLINK.