YOUNG CHILDRENS LONG-TERM RETENTION OF A PEDIATRIC EXAMINATION

Citation
L. Bakerward et al., YOUNG CHILDRENS LONG-TERM RETENTION OF A PEDIATRIC EXAMINATION, Child development, 64(5), 1993, pp. 1519-1533
Citations number
30
Categorie Soggetti
Psychology, Educational","Psychology, Developmental
Journal title
ISSN journal
00093920
Volume
64
Issue
5
Year of publication
1993
Pages
1519 - 1533
Database
ISI
SICI code
0009-3920(1993)64:5<1519:YCLROA>2.0.ZU;2-Y
Abstract
Children at ages 3, 5, and 7 (N = 187) provided reports of their physi cal examinations immediately following the checkup and after a delay o f either 1, 3, or 6 weeks, or only after 3 weeks. The protocol used fo r all interviews consisted of initial general prompts, followed by inc reasingly specific questions as needed. Recall of standard features of the examinations was scored, along with responses to questions concer ning acts that did not occur. Retention of the event was extensive and accurate. Although clear age effects were observed in recall, the del ay interval did not strongly affect performance over the 6-week period . The amount of forgetting was significant at ages 3 and 5, but not at age 7. With increasing age, a greater percentage of the features was spontaneously recalled. When presented with incongruous questions, all children evidenced rates of correct denials that exceeded chance and few errors of commission. The initial interview did not affect delayed recall. Implications for children's testimony are discussed.