Dog Presence and Childrens' Stress During Forensic Interviews for Child Abuse

描述（由申请人提供）：本研究的总体目的是测试有一个专门训练的服务犬目前与儿童接受虐待儿童的法医面试的影响，并确定儿童的看法有狗在场。目标是确定在采访期间与狗一起出现的儿童比暴露于通常的实践标准的儿童具有更少的恐惧和生理反应（通过皮肤温度测量）。另一个目标是确定是否有狗在场有利于面试，减少第二次或第三次面试的需要。 美国卫生与公众服务部报告说，2007年，有350多万儿童接受了儿童保护服务处的虐待调查或评估（卫生与公众服务部，2009年）。大量儿童因虐待而可能出现心理残疾，起诉肇事者需要法律的程序，这突出表明需要确定干预措施，以减轻儿童的痛苦。对这些孩子来说， 双重危险效应，即儿童受到虐待，在接受对指控罪行的调查时必须承受额外的心理压力。 一项为期两年的研究，提出了使用两组随机，重复测量设计的儿童年龄4-17岁谁正在接受法医采访的虐待儿童在密苏里州中部。治疗组将在接受法医面谈之前与受过训练的服务犬互动，并在面谈期间由犬陪同。我们将从欧扎克山麓儿童倡导中心招募参与者，并在其进行法医访谈的3个地点实施该协议。我们将在基线、15分钟后（对照组）或与狗互动后立即（治疗组）以及法医访谈结束时收集所有参与者的数据。 这项研究的成果包括服务犬协议，以及参与儿童的潜在益处。该协议将提供给调查人员和儿童倡导团体，希望开始一个类似的服务犬计划。我们希望密苏里州的项目将成为整个美国项目的典范。它将满足受虐待儿童家庭的需求，这些家庭将经历法医面试。 公共卫生相关性：这项研究的总体目标是测试在虐待儿童的法医面谈期间，有一只经过专门训练的服务犬陪伴儿童对压力（皮肤温度）和恐惧的影响，并确定儿童对有狗在场的看法。目标是确定在采访期间有狗在场的儿童比暴露于通常的实践标准的儿童恐惧和生理反应（通过皮肤温度测量）少到什么程度。另一个目标是确定是否有狗在场有利于面试的翻译结果，减少了第二次或第三次面试的需要。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The overall aim of the study is to test the effects of having a specially trained service dog present with children undergoing forensic interviews for child abuse and to ascertain the children's perception of having the dog present. The goal is to identify to what extent children who have the dog present with them during the interview have less fear and physiological reactivity (measured by skin temperature) than children exposed to the usual Standard of Practice. A further goal is to identify whether having the dog present facilitates the interview, lessening the need for second or third interviews. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services reported that in the year 2007, more than 3.5 million children underwent Child Protective Service investigations or assessments for abuse (DHHS, 2009). The large numbers of children experiencing potential psychological disability resulting from maltreatment and the legal processes necessary to prosecute perpetrators underscores the need to identify interventions to alleviate children's distress. For these children, there may be a double jeopardy effect in which the child is abused and then must suffer additional psychological distress while undergoing investigation into the alleged crime. A two-year study is proposed using a two-group randomized, repeated measures design in children ages 4-17 who are undergoing forensic interviews for child abuse in Mid-Missouri. The treatment group will interact with a trained service dog before undergoing the forensic interview and be accompanied by the dog during the interview. We will recruit participants from the Ozark Foothills Child Advocacy Center and implement the protocol in the 3 sites in which it conducts forensic interviews. We will collect data with all participants at baseline, 15 minutes later (control group) or immediately aftr interacting with the dog (treatment group), and when the forensic interview is finished. Deliverables from the study include the service dog protocol, and potential benefits to children who participate. The protocol will be made available to investigators and child advocacy groups that would like to begin a similar service dog program. We hope the Missouri program will be a model for programs throughout the U.S. It will meet a need among families with abused children who will experience forensic interviews. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The overall aim of the study is to test the effects of having a specially trained service dog present with children during forensic interviews for child abuse on stress (skin temperature) and fear and to ascertain the children's perception of having the dog present. The goal is to identify to what extent children who have the dog present with them during the interview have less fear and physiological reactivity (measured by skin temperature) than children exposed to the usual Standard of Practice. A further goal is the translational outcome of identifying whether having the dog present facilitates the interview, lessening the need for second or third interviews.