Page 77 - Aug Sept 2016

A Case for Specialized and Specific Intervention and Treatment Strategies with Abused Children
The social worker’s testimony and thus make for a more accurate forensic
discounted all the familiar facets of exam, but Bryant (2007) found that there

impeachment. First, she told the jury was no solid validity to the claim that
that recollection and memory, often and critical incident debriefing was effective in

first-line attack in credibility skirmishes preventing subsequent PTSD. Regardless
was not important with child victims of the preventive hope for CID, the
and should not be considered. Secondly, practice does provide the victim with a

she discounted the importance of here-and-now supportive care. A review of
detail, another fertile basis for cross- the Field Operations Guide of the National

examination and impeachment. Finally, Child Traumatic Stress Network (2006)
and more subtly, she explained away shows a highly supportive approach that
the importance of inconsistencies in might be typified as quite gentle, un-

children’s testimony. pressured, and decidedly ‘unquestioning’.
Without such debriefing support at the
Clearly, Judge Burns was not afforded time of forensic questioning (and one

adequate educational forensic might reasonably contend that a goodly
information on disclosure patterns and number of children do not receive such
the many biological effects of PTSD on debriefing), the initial forensic effort with

a child. Had Judge Burn’s opinion been its primary focus and objective on fact
in the majority, the child in question finding, has the great potential to add

(and perhaps many children to come) unnecessarily to the child’s stress load..
may have had a very different outcome. Court examination is of course, forensic

in nature, and due to the basic philosophy
As stated thus far, there are likely of adversary face-to-face confrontation of
many variables of outcomes from one’s accuser, drastically in counterpoint

forensic examination of a child who to PTSD treatment in children. Wilson, et
is traumatized by abuse. It perhaps al. state that a “core treatment approach

goes without saying that ill managed removes obstacles so that the organism can
or outright botched forensic efforts heal on its own.” (p40). Most reasonable
leave behind children who have adults would agree that placing a child

been further damaged by the ordeal. on a witness stand, either in front of a
One might expect that if some kind jury or just a judge would qualify as an

of ‘psychological first aid’ were intimidating ‘obstacle’ to the child’s best
to be provided very soon after the interest of healing from PTSD. Walters,
child revealing, this might mitigate Bineman, and Wright argue that hearsay

development of PTSD symptoms,
testimony by professionals, who have

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