Effective Interviewing of Children

Interviews comprise the majority of professionals' interactions with children. In order to conduct effective interviews, professionals must possess effective communication skills, as well as knowledge of growth and developmental issues, data collection and analysis. This text offers a comprehensive resource for information on child focused interviews. The authors differentiate between child- and adult-focused interviews, present an integrated account of the literature on child-focused interviews, and offer techniques and suggestions for addressing developmental differences. Chapters address a range of topics including child and professional variables, effective use of language, children with special needs, ethics in interviewing, research interviews, and diagnostic clinical interviews. Aimed at upper-level undergraduate and graduate students, this book should be of value to clinically orientated programmes such as mental health counselling, social work, psychology, and marriage and family therapy.

Michael Zwiers, Patrick J. Morrissette