Doctoral Dissertation Research: Eyewitness memory in children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

在过去的十年中，被诊断为自闭症谱系障碍(ASD)的儿童患病率从每150人中有1人大幅上升到每68人中有1人。流行率的这种增加预示着这些儿童将更多地参与法律制度。然而，对于患有自闭症的儿童来说，通常可用于发育中的儿童获得准确的目击者报告的基于科学的采访方案是不存在的。本研究检验了当前两种儿童法医访谈方案在获取患有和不患有自闭症的(口头)青少年的准确和完整的目击者陈述方面的有效性，并确定了目击者记忆表现的个体差异预测因素。9至18岁的儿童，无论是否患有自闭症，都将参加有记录的活动，稍后将接受两种法医面谈方案中的一种询问。分析将检查有助于或阻碍准确报告的协议组件。这项研究解决了关于残疾、能力和法律的争论。此外，它还将扩大科学家对自闭症的理论理解(例如，自我发展理论)，并为法律专业人员和事实调查者提供所需的经验信息，以促进得出真相。

Over the past decade, the prevalence of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has dramatically risen from 1 in 150 to 1 in 68. Such increases in prevalence foretell greater involvement of these children in the legal system. Yet science-based interview protocols for obtaining accurate eyewitness reports, available for typically developing children, do not exist for children with ASD. This study examines the effectiveness of two current child forensic interview protocols at eliciting accurate and complete eyewitness statements from (verbal) youth with and without ASD, and determines individual difference predictors of eyewitness memory performance. Children, 9- to 18-years-old, with and without ASD, will participate in a documented event and will later be questioned with one of two forensic interview protocols. Analyses will examine components of protocols that aid or impede accurate reports. This study addresses debates about disability, competence, and law. Moreover, it will expand theoretical understanding of ASD (e.g., self-development theory) for scientists and provide needed empirical information for legal professionals and fact finders to facilitate reaching the truth.