Developing a Structured Interview Tool for Children Embroiled in Family Litigation and Forensic Mental Health Services - The Query Grid

Oct 22, 2026

Uploaded by adawds

Child-centered mental health and forensic professionals face a persistent challenge in obtaining valid reports from court-involved children. Because young children are highly suggestible and even skilled interviewers may introduce bias in subtle ways, current practices can compromise legal decisions and add re-traumatization risk. This article introduces the Query Grid (QG), a child-centered, multi-modal, and minimally leading interview tool designed for ages four through twelve and for clinical and court settings.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Developing the Query Grid (QG)

Goals and limitations of current tools

Children’s suggestibility and interviewer bias

Conclusion and literature foundation

Developing a Structured Interview Toolfor Children Embroiled in Family Litigationand Forensic Mental Health Services:The Query Grid Benjamin D.Garber,PhD ABSTRACT.Child-centered mental health and forensic professionals have long recognized the dilemma implicit in the need to elicit valid re- ports from court-involved children.The fact that young children are highly suggestible and that even skilled,well-intended interviewers can corrupt the data in myriad subtle ways risks compromising the legal pro- cess and(re-)traumatizing the child interviewee.The present article intro- duces the Query Grid(QG),a child-centered,multi-modal and minimally Benjamin D.Garber is a New Hampshire licensed Psychologist interested in help-ing families to better meet the needs of the children of highly conlicted,separated,and divorced caregivers.Dr.Garber's popular articles have appeared in parentingpublications around the world and are condensed in four volumes available throughHealthyParent.com.His professional publications and presentations focus on topics inchild and family development,family transition,and alienation. Address correspondence to:Dr.Benjamin D.Garber,32 Daniel Webster Highway, Suite 17,Merrimack,NH03054(E-mail:papaben@healthyparent.com). This article and the development of the Query Grid is due in large part to the effortsand support of Dr.Laura Landerman and to the willingness of hundreds of children andfamilies to share their pain and hopes,and fears. Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice,Vol.7(1)2007Available online at http:/jfpp.haworthpress.com◎2007 by The Haworth Press,Inc.All rights reserved.doi:10.1300/J158v07n01_01 # LOURNAL OF FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY PRACTICE leading interview tool suitable for use with clinical populations and court-involved children ages four through twelve years.The QG joins thesparse arsenal of existing forensic child interview tools and protocols(e.g.,Poole&Lamb,1999)useful in better meeting the needs of the courtsystem and those children involved in abuse and neglect proceedings,criminal investigations,and custody matters.doi:10.1300/J158v07n01_01[Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document DeliveryService:1-800-HAWORTH.E-mail address:Website:◎2007·by The Haworth Press,Inc.All rights reserved.] KEYWORDS.Forensic,child,interview,custody,divorce,neglect,sug-gestibility,trauma,query,leading,clinical,therapy,testimony,expert Mental health and family law professionals alike are often faced withthe dilemma of how best to elicit valid and reliable reports from chil-dren.The lessons of the McMartin daycare abuse trials (e.g.,Garven,Wood,Malpass,&Shaw,1998;Kelley,1996),among others,havehighlighted the confounding impact of both young children's suggest-ibility and interviewer bias.Unfortunately,this acknowledgement hasyielded too few child-friendly tools which are used far too infrequently(Goodman,Quas,Bulkley,&Shapiro,1999;Hardy &Leeuwen,2004;National Children's Advocacy Center,2005;Poole &Lamb,1999). In the ideal situation,children might never be involved in forensicprocess.Those emotionally super-charged,highly acrimonious,androutinely polarized and polarizing matters which bring children beforeforensic examiners and families into our courtrooms can create traumain the very children whose best interests they seek to protect(Flin,1993;Goodman et al.,1999).In the interest of due process,however,elicitinga child's direct experience can be a necessary-and sometimes the only-means of investigating allegations of abuse and neglect,requests fortermination of parental rights(TPR)and reunification,custody determi-nations,criminal matters,and allegations of alienation. If children must continue to be involved in forensic process and ifmental health and family law professionals are to fulfill the dual (andsometimes mutually exclusive)obligations of serving both children'sneeds and the court system,intervie

FAQs

What problem does the article address in child forensic interviews?

It addresses how to elicit valid, reliable reports from court-involved children despite suggestibility and potential interviewer bias that can distort information.

What is the Query Grid (QG)?

The Query Grid is a child-centered, multi-modal, minimally leading structured interview tool intended for use with clinical populations and court-involved children ages four through twelve.

Why is minimizing trauma important in forensic interviewing?

Because forensic processes tied to abuse/neglect, custody, and other matters can create trauma, so interview tools must obtain reliable testimony while reducing harm associated with the interview process.

Oct 22, 2026

Uploaded by adawds