THE ACCURACY OF CHILDRENS REPORTS WITH ANATOMICALLY CORRECT DOLLS

The accuracy of children's reports of alleged sexual abuse during inte rviews with anatomically correct dolls is the focus of considerable co ntroversy. This study used an analog experience to measure empirically the accuracy of reports in a relevant, but controlled setting: the fo rensic medical examination for suspected sexual abuse. Twenty-one 3- t o 7-year-old children were interviewed about what occurred during prev ious examinations with open-ended questions, open-ended questions with anatomically correct dolls, and direct questions with the dolls. Chil dren provided significantly more accurate reports and fewer omissions with direct questions using the dolls compared with either of the two open-ended sections, but there was no significant difference in the nu mber of false reports across the three sections of the interview. Thes e results suggest that anatomically correct dolls may bolster the reca ll of children's memory in the setting of direct questions without pro mpting false reports.